PCOS is annoying. It’s a crazy thing to have, and it makes me very angry on some days. My moods are inconsistent, and I am in ministry training, which is not really a good combination. It is very hard to manage your moods though, when you don’t really feel in control of them.
I’m headed to the doctor on Tuesday morning, because I need to get my last hepatitis vaccine, and I used that to actually get in to see him. I am going to mention though that I have been having increased mood swings, and some of the other symptoms as well. I am hoping that he will be able to help alleviate some of these for me, because to be honest there are days when I am simply unbearable as a human being.
Lifestyle change is definitely part of the equation, but anyone who has ever tried a complete lifestyle overhaul knows how incredibly hard that is. Through the hormones in there and it can make for a seemingly hopeless situation. Like a mountain that can’t be conquered.
However I keep on keeping on, and take it one day at a time.
I did come across this T-shirt and found it hilarious…
It is almost the end of the semester here at CFOT. I am almost 1/4 of the way done. Things have been going ok, when I am not stressing about the academic side of things. I am doing well on that side of things, but I have to admit it stresses me out.
I still think I have the greatest session mates known to mankind. Although I have hardly seen any of them this weekend, so that’s weird for me because I am used to seeing them all the time.
So the big news since I last posted?
I am going to Regina Saskatchewan for my winter assignment. I will be working with Capts Steven and Corinne Cameron and the Haven of Hope ministries, so I am excited about the possibilities there. We only have a ten-day assignment this year due to the way the calendar falls. So I will be there from the 14th-24th of December.
Also at school I have finally been set up with my spiritual mentor. God has been at work through the process of getting hooked up with my mentor and I am glad for that, because I really think that I have chosen/been appointed to the right person. So once that gets underway it should help settle things a bit more for me.
Anyways I know this is a short update, but it is one nevertheless. I am tired, so I must go to bed…this weekend just flew by and it is going to be a long week.
It’s hard not to get caught up in the busy-ness of life. You get doing things and then you realize that it is midnight and you have not started your readings for the next day, readings in which you have to submit journals about. So I have just completed that. I’ve got a busy week ahead of me. I have a paper that I need to get done for my UofW class. I also have a group presentation to prepare for Friday, and next Monday I will be sharing “My Story” in chapel, it is basically my story of how I got to training college. So a busy week ahead for me.
I did want to update though that I was looking on amazon for some books and found some more books about PCOS. One is a general information book, that I decided to get because it is written by an endocrinologist, and as many of you will be aware PCOS is an endocrine disorder. It’s funny because the more I read about the subject the more I tend to find that my life and health symptoms seem to make sense to me. For example, I’ve been getting really bad headaches lately, and I tend to get them on and off generally in life but more lately. I believe that part of it is stress, because yes I do tend to get them during more stressful periods, but I also discovered tonight that some women with PCOS suffer with migraines. I honestly believe this is part of the problem, and I believe that God revealed this to me. Let me share what I mean.
I was talking with a friend tonight…well last night really I guess (and I will actually delay this post so I can check with her and make sure she is ok with my blogging it). She told me that she is concerned about my health, because basically she can’t remember a time where I have felt “well” (granted she has only known me for less than 2 months), but she was right…I’ve been ill a lot lately, whether it be headaches or stomach issues etc. Anyways at the end of our conversation tonight we shared a prayer, and in that prayer she prayed for my health. She prayed that God would heal whatever it is that causes my physical problems. So I came downstairs, to get my work done, but for some reason decided to check some packages I am waiting for from amazon.ca. Well you might be able to guess what happens to me when I open amazon, I love to browse so I looked at a couple of the suggestions they had for me based on previous searches. Lo and behold I find some more books on PCOS, and specifically ones that talk about the symptoms I have been having, namely headaches. Which was one of the things my friend specifically prayed for. SO of course I ordered the book, and there is also a recipe book that I ordered. This my friends is no coincidence….God is at work and he is providing the information and desire I need to become more healthy. You may not be so excited about this, but I believe I am in good hands…you know the ones that hold the world?
Well it seems that I never post anymore. I’m sitting here ripping some tunes from CD’s into my itunes so I can put them on my ipod. Last week was the least busy week that I have had here so far, so I did try to get some work done on some assignments for this week. I have 2 papers and a presentation due this week. Not to mention that my My Story chapel has been scheduled for November 2nd.
The My Story chapel, is basically you are supposed to tell your story of how you got to training college. I’m not quite sure how I am gonna go about it yet but we will see.
Have I mentioned before how much I love my sessionmates? Ok well there are days when it is challenging because of human nature, I mean we live together (sure we have our own apartments but it is still very communal) we go to school together, we eat together (at school), we go to church together….sometimes we will get sick of one another. However having said that, we laid a foundation right away that made us close, and I believe able to handle any conflict or anything that comes in that way.
Anyways life is busy busy busy, so I better get to work.
Now I am fully settled into routine, I have become aware of just how much work this training college thing is going to be.
I’m trying very hard not to see training college as this annoying stepping stone that I’ve got to get through before I start into “real” ministry. It’s easy to do that though, there are so many restrictions, so much authority and what not. I’ve not encountered any that is without good reason yet, but it’s frustrating from feeling completely free as a human being to completely “owned” (for lack of a better term).
So I’ve got to keep focused and remember that this is not just a stepping stone, but a real opportunity for growth and development. I just need to be ready to say yes to God, and trust him with everything.
OH MY GOODNESS!!!!
Where does the time go? I can not believe that it has been so long since I last posted. I can not believe how the time flies. We’ve had a busy few weeks here at CFOT. The first week here was pretty laid back. We’d go in a 9:30-10 and come home by one. Then the second week we got BUSY….there was classes, BBQ’s, Picnics, rehearsals all this stuff to do.
I’ve also been getting to know my session mates and I have to say I love them. They are an awesome group of people, I can’t wait to see what the next two years hold for us as a group.
Then there was our official Welcome Weekend, and let me tell you it is a BIG deal. We had the commissioners in our apartments on Saturday for a short visit and it was nice, I especially appreciated the time they took to give us all an individual message. They really took interest in us and treated us like the VIP’s. Then on Saturday night we went out for supper with some officers from our DHQ’s.
Sunday we had a family service in the morning at CFOT, and then we had dinner and a welcome service. It was nice, but to be honest it flew by.
The first week of classes was hard for me because we had not yet entered a routine and I find that very exhausting. This week we really finally got into a routine, so I am feeling much more settled and looking forward to the days ahead.
My first assignment is due on Monday. After that they just keep flowing in, the due dates I mean.
So that’s a small taste of what the time has been like so far. I hope to get back to updating more often. So thanks for continuing to stop by, and I’ll be back again soon.
Well my time this week has been pretty busy, and fun.
So far I like all my session mates, they all seem really nice and we get along well. It’s been fun to get to know them all.
This week we had our orientation. We covered all topics from computer and van usage to proper uniform wearing. The staff here seem to really have a good sense of humor. (I even got a pair of fishnets as part of an ongoing joke)
Thursday night we had a photo scavenger hunt at the forks….it was really quite cool. Then we went to BDI for ice cream and I love BDI. Best ice cream in Winnipeg by far.
We also had academic meetings this week. Mine was interesting because I come to training college already with my BA in Biblical and Theological studies, so I am exempt from a few courses. The academic officer suggested to me that I might like to begin work on my master’s degree. I can only do a few hours before having to declare a major and enroll in their program, but it would still be a start.
I have run into a couple things though, I won’t be able to register until Wednesday, the day the class begins. I need a letter of permission from Booth College, which I can not get because they are busy with their own registration. It’s been a bit of a hassle, but it will be well worth it if I can get in. The only downside is that the second part of the class is an intensive, during reading week. So while all my peers will have a bit of a break I will have to plug through and work without a break. I can handle it though.
All of this of course is depending because since being home this weekend and looking over my schedule, I have noticed a conflict. The first part of the grad level course conflicts with the intro to pastoral care course that I need….so this could be a problem.
I’m not too concerned about it, all I can do is talk to the academic officer and see what solution we can come up with….and whatever happens will be of benefit to my ministry.
So that is what has been happening this week.
I am officially a cadet in the Ambassadors of Holiness session. I can’t believe the time is here already.
I moved into the residence on Friday and have been busy unpacking, shopping for things I need, fare welling from my church, having a family potluck etc etc.
It’s funny because on saturday I got up and was not feeling particularily hungry, but I had some toast with peanut butter. I had it because it was in MY toaster, that has been packed away for a year. I ate it in MY breakfast nook.
I am unpacking slowly but surely. I am finding different things that I need, so I have had to make a trek or two to wal mart. Once everything is away and has it’s place, then it will feel like home for the next 2 years.
My farewell at the church was nice. I felt very loved and supported, we had cake after too, so that made me happy of course.
On the Sunday as well we had a family send off for me. My family is also very loving and supportive. It was really great, and while I want to keep most of the details between my family and myself, I would say that it was one of the most Holy moments I have ever experienced.
So there you have it, I am here and getting into the swing of things. So far I love it here. Of course this is just orientation week….you’ll have to keep reading in the future to see if I still love it a month from now 
Well it’s come down to it, this is the week. I move into the cadet residence on Friday and farewell from my church on Sunday.
I know I am not leaving the city but things are going to be so very different. I won’t be attending my church anymore, which despite it’s flaws and frustrations is my home. It’s been my home for 31 years. It’ll be weird being here in the city and not being able to attend my own church. It’s tough, but I also know it is best for my training not to be at my home church.
My fellow cadet who is also going into CFOT from my church is leading the meeting this week, and he asked me to share my testimony so I am. He sent me the order of service today, and I’ve been teary since I read it…knowing that this is my last Sunday there.
This is gonna be the toughest part for me, all the goodbyes over the years.
I’m sad
I have not been blogging well lately, but I am extremely busy these days getting ready to head off to CFOT. It’s here in the city but I have had to do all my moving prep and everything.
Time is getting near and this time two weeks I will be right into it. I will officially be a cadet!
