cat-man! don't

So, here is the update that I promised in the previous post that no-one probably read, becuase I think the time in between has probably been while all you wonderful folk were asleep.

None the less! here it is.

Now, originally I had a grand plan to quote various bits from my journal in this, seeing as it's hard to remember everything completly.... but thats not interesting, anyways journals nowadays seem like less of a "day tracker" but more of a mind tracker, and thats not what keep the ratings up, people want action.

So here's the deal



Basically, 1/2 of the time or more in between when I probably last saw you and now have been spent on a plane. haha, it was like the Australia trips all over again. The thing about plane rides is that there is nothing really entertaining about them. You sit upright becuase you don't want to be one of those insensitive jerks who would DARE to recline. You try to amuse yourself with reading, unfortunatly in myt case this flight, my mind kept taking off on me, and I'd realise I had 'read' and entire page without even reading anything. The best thing is when your mind is taken off of whatever it is that is particularily haunting you at the moment when this wonderful gift of nature comes around... toilet time. Yes, the most exciting part of a 14 hour sit fest is when you get the excuse to stand up and wait in line with some other strangers to go into the exotic little... "room?". Anything to add some variety.
Anyways, after various overnight Layovers, on the flight to Kathmandu itself this little gem made me smile as the pilot intropduced himself (in thick accent) as being "_____________ and I will be your Prime Minister this flight"

Yes!

One of hte layovers was in Thailand (overnight), and we met up with two YWAM Missionary friends out there of ours, I had met them in Perth before they moved out to Bangkok, and they go back with my dad. It was really really cool to see them again, brought back alot of fond memories. Besides the point.

Anyways, Today we went to one of the homes for the first part just spent time with the kids, The honourable Mr. Arkle and Carr wer in meetings of sorts with those in charge of the house, and I joined them in those later on, but for the first part chilled with the kids. Unfortunatly while having them show me their incredible acrobatic skills, I feel responsible for having one of the kids hurt himself, but like a trooper he cheered up and we continued to play soccer in the rain on hte roof with a hacky sac. Awesome.
I also tried teaching some of them Guitar (after an intense boxing/tickling show down... little dudes are fast) , not with much success, BUT something I was quite excited about was when this one little guy (Abraham as the home calls him) looks at my shirt and reads aloud "Cry!.....of...the.....Afflicated!"
Close enough, I happily corrected him. What I also found kind of cool was that HIS shirt I could very gladly read aloud as "Perth Western Australia"

The Roads in Nepal are chaotic.... but very poetically haha, there is the strangest order in the absolute madness... no lights, no lines really (some... but they are not followed as a taxi will speed down "oncoming traffic", but it's not really oncoming... it's just other vehicles on the road. In less than inches these cars will speed by each other, never hitting. It makes for a jerky ride with all the starts and stops, but it's incredible really... Sereously... there is absoultlyu no shape or order to these roads... no single file of cars, no "right of way", just whoever gets there first, and whoever brakes fastest. Courtney and Katy said they just close their eyes to stop them from freaking out.

Now for the more personal stuff that isn't just action. For the majority of you, you've had your fill, and thanks for tuning in. For the rest? What could you possibly want to know about Jon Arkle?

Well.... Every night I fall asleep to, and every morning I start my day with the beautiful Brooke Fraser. I'm trying to decipher now whether I'm a bigger fan of her new CD or her old. My opinion right now? Her old... BUT at the moment the first becuase it's so different from the new one, but still awesome. Also, I've listened to her so much haha every variety is awesome.
But, my music choice has not been entirely brooke Fraser, actually she is just my day starter and sleep... fader, everything in between? Has been dedicated to one artist entirely, Joshua Radin, Incredible, I can't STOP listening to him either. If any of you are aware of him, do tell, if not? Now you are, check him out.
My favorite song of his is called "Winter" and then "Star Mile", so for all you downloading types, there you go.

Hmm, Danny and Mike, if you two read this (Danny, you said you do sometimes), Tell me about Warped tour! All the best for you two if I don't get ahold of you before it. I'll do my best to anyhow.
Erm... Oh, if there is anyone who would want to see that Transformers movie with me that would be sweet. Now, this would have to be someone who is not necessarily particular to seeing it opening night... becuase I don't get back till after the 9th. ALSO! After the 9th ahha sometime soon, and chances are that'll be a Saturday night (after 7:30ish) I want to have the long awaited, or much dreaded Photo night... heh. So yea, tell your friends? It'll happen soon. HOLD ME TO IT! haha there. I think thats the catch, I need people to keep me accountable.

Also, the book I'm reading is so awesome haha, Orthodoxy (Jordan!) I've never underlined and circled and written so much in a book (unless a teacher had told me to). SUCH a good book. Basically it's Theological Philosophy for those of you who may not have heard of it. The Book i have lined up after it is called "The Question of God" which is Debates for and against God by Cs. Lewis and Sigmund Freud. Pumped for that one.

And that was a blog. I'll be sending more personal penitrating e-mails later. If anyone wants a more specific update on any corner of my mind of experiences then PLEASE! ask, Becuase unfortunatly... I don't give myself any credit for knowing what to tell people at all, much less what they want to hear heh.

Anyways, Joshua Radin Cd just finished so it might be time to wrap up the blog, header off, mabye listen to some Brooke Fraser. haha.

Namaste


ps. Kathmandu is filled with hippies... like... actual bare footed, dirty, very hairy, rasta...ish? nirvana seekers. It's so.... interesting to see.

pps. I've decided I'm going to listen to "Winter" again, then Brooke.

Subject.

"I don't know if this is going to work....

This is a "blog entry" made by sending an e-mail to blogger... haha, we'll see, if your reading it then it works


I WILL GIVE AN ENTRY WHEN I HAVE TIME, unfortunatly I have to run, this was my 5 min window to check e-mails.

But when I have time, I will blog and e-mail etc.

Trust me."


Ha, it didn't work, thankfully I trusted my instinct and followed through with a quick copy paste.

Anyways, now I REALLY have to go in even Shorter amount of time. So I'll update you all later.
(Amanda... your ridonkulous. Thats the only shout out I'm making in this post.)

2 weeks

I'm gone for the next 2 weeks,

Now although not nearly as long as the 7^ months that I was gone before, I'm going to do better by all of you this time...

I'll be sending e-mails, and doing my best to stay in touch the entire time,


Hold me to it.

The Problem

The problem with blogging etc, is that you are (I am) never quite willing to be fully honest on it. Not in the sense that i would lie, never, however I won't be as open as I may be wanting to be.
Which makes it harder I think... to have something like a blog where you can "journal"or "update"... but when you can't exactly tell the whole story becuase of the implications or ramifications that will occurr if you do spill on the Internet. It's like a teaser for opening up haha.Thats all I had to say on that subject... becuase I'm dying to write down everything I'm feeling.... wait
I have a paper Journal
hahah why am i typing this?? I can just write down my musings and records on paper... I havn't kept it since Australia! Ridonkulous. I'm lame.

Well, thats my thought process finding a conclusion.

However, it's always nice to have someone to talk to in person, Especially someone you feel gets you. those can be hard to find.

Peace up
A town out.

Venting?

So today at work I went on a rampage of venting, now as some of you may be aware, this is an event where I can go on a largish monologue about whatever it is that has particularly edged my nerve.

For example, for those of you who read this blog, you saw a light version of my rant about Pirates of the Caribbean 3. Now this movie only irritated me slightly as I thought they could have done a better job... which brings me to rantings about something that does more than irritate me... things that just get right under my nerve.

So at work today, I went into such rant, after being silent in general for almost the entire day (by my own choice... I think I should take a vow of silence... because of Neitche) but then at the end of the day, while doing overtime with some friends a topic comes up and I voice my opinions. Fueled by the by laughter of my two comrades I continued, and in some cases with me, nothing is sacred (see paragraph 5).

Now... what made me realise that I even DO this ranting thing was the fact that on of these said friends after laughing said "Man I love it when Jon vents", and it brought upon revelation about it. For one... it actually showed me that I go into these vents, but I realised that it's usually in these rants when I almost discover more about my actual opinions on things than I do with just simple reflection. (However even reflection for me consists of a small venting of thoughts in my head... so I guess it's how I figure things out) I Don't think i'm a big fan of opening up... unless it's an provoked explosion.

But what caught me was the fact that when I get into these rants, how easily I can find myself tearing apart at people, not for reasons that aren't "supportable", but tearing is still tearing. It caught me, what if deep down I haven't really gotten rid of that malicious jerk that I was very frequently before leaving for Aus. I guess it's something that will still be there when you find it (too) easy to come up with sharp comments off the top of your head... but it's something that you have to be able to catch yourself doing. Even for humours sake? There are limits.

Am I a jerk? A thought.

That was one of today's many revelations. I rant. Who knew.

Why do i keep forgetting to give E-mails and Blog posts titles? You think it would be the primary thing you'd think of... guess not.

Vanessa, I think your the only one who reads my blog anymore, SO!
Check out this artist that Jordan sent me,

Brooke Frasier, I think she's amazing.



On further notes, Chucky will be coming to visit hopefully, and this is the best thing ever. So I am excited for that, and also the new Cry of the Afflicted song is amazing, AMAZING, and i'm really really excited for the new album.
www.myspace.com/cryoftheafflicted
the song is Read Between.

It's awesome, check it, love it, listen over and over. Then tell your friends.

I didn't know

I had no idea I could feel this!

I don't like it! haha

So Jordan, i ordered Orthidoxy yesterday, It'll be coming in to my local bookstore in 3-9 buisness days. Thats a wonderfully vauge amount of time.

Actually... i'm sorry, I thought mabye writing in the blog I'd be able to put my mind in a good creative spot, but unfortuantly today isn't that day. Jordan be on Gmail more often, and Vanessa.... on msn more often.


Good-day to you sirs.

Just Super

So today I had off, not on my own accord however. You see the situation was that on Wed. I get a talking to from my boss saying that the higher ups have commanded me that I can't work on Friday as well as the Saturday graveyard shift because there is not enough time in between the two shifts and it is close to double time which they don't want to pay etc etc.
ANYWAYS, as it would happen I don't come in to work on Friday because i needed to work the Graveyard shift, but I get a call saying they figured it out and there IS enough time in between shifts just as long as I NEVER EVER STAY OVERTIME ON FRIDAY.
So, as thankful as I am that they figured it out and I can keep my convenient Monday Tuesday weekend, I kind of wish I could have gone into work today (found out earlier), especially after seeing the pay stub that I got the other day. Huzzah for work!

I enjoy my job.


I've realised how random my music listening habits actually are.... I'll go from listening to
some amazing music such as Iron and Wine or "I can make a mess like nobody's business" (*Vanessa I think you would love the latter of those two) I"ll then switch to something such as In Flames (which is what's currently playing) or As I Lay Dying, which is arguably heavier. Random. I'm glad I'm able to appretiate it both... I've even founded a soft spot for folk! haha This guy Greg Graffin is the lead singer for one of my favorite all time bands called "Bad Religion". They are an old school California punk band who have been around forever. This guy is in his 40's or so and still making music with both Bad Religion and this solo project of his which is surprisingly... folk music. I'd reccomend anyone reading this who knows how to preview music on the iTunes Store to check him out, especially the song "Don't be Afraid to Run".

What else is remotely interesting for now...

OH! My sister borrowed a game boy from her friend and he's got some game which has no label and has obviously been bought from some illegal source, China? (haha China is illegal, I need to learn how to write better) who knows. Because it's got like... 10 games on one! Full games too. Now usually this wouldn't fascinate me too much because I'm fairly selective when it comes to video games that I like, but this one had Ninja Turtles games, including the old school Arcade one which i remember my Cousin having for the original NES. Which excited me quite a bit.
So I played that a bit, tried to save April from the Foot in this burning building and this Rhino guy with a gun. But after that the Shredder came out of nowhere! Grabbed April and jumped through a window into the second level... but by that point I had lost interest because I think I had already made my point that Donatello was a better Ninja than the hordes of "the foot", and I turned off the game boy.

Pirates 3

... *cough

**** I AM giving away and tearing apart the movie.... so don't read if you haven't seen it.


So I saw Pirates 3 as well....and to be honest...

The lamest parts of the movie were the ones revolving around the pirates... which was disappointing (seeing as the entire movie revolves around pirates), but especially the Pirate Lords. What was up with that? We have one pirate that looks like memoirs of a geisha, another one that looks like whatshismask from V for Vendetta, and then finally.... one that was a freaking knight who says Ni!

Keith Richards was the most awkwardly placed characters of the movie, who offered nothing new other than giving Sparrow a father (which took away from his "epic" nature, and also! What was with the whole split personality thing? They focused less on his quirky nature that people loved from the previous movies and now they just give him random.... others?)
"Instead of writing clever lines for him.... lets just make him every character that he ever needs to talk to!"


Aside from parts of the movie that made me laugh (at) There were some other parts that butchered some of my favorite parts of the last two movies. Particularly Davy Jones. He was my favorite ever since the first scene when you saw the Flying Dutchcman shoot out of the water in the second movie.... as he ominously walks up the deck and offers his spooky ultimatum. "Do you fear Death?...." Anyways, not only did this movie take any any prestige that this "master of the sea" carried in the second movie (by making him the East India Trading companies pet, thus proving him to be in fact the weakest of all the pirates? But we're still supposed to fear him? All because Mr. 4'6" gets all freaky deaky about shooting the heart and blah blah blah), but they also made a butchering of his awesome "do you fear death" speech from the second movie. In this one, anytime ANYONE is at gunpoint or at the end of a blade.... heck, even if someone was maybe a bit sad in this movie he would pop out his "Do you fear *sucking sound* death?"

(speaking of 4'6", did anyone else notice that he had the most epic death of any character from all 3 movies?? Even Sparrow being eaten by the Kraken wasn't as Epic as his slow motion 300 esque walk through the exploding ship, then his body landing in the floating flag with the silhouette of his crushed empire behind him? Yikes, I didn't realize he was THAT 'big' of a character, heh

On the note of Davey Jones... I don't think I even have to mention ANYTHING about the 80 foot Calypso that reminded me (personally) of a Gulliver's travels movie I saw in the 90's.

There were two redeeming factors for the movie for me however, one was Barbossa, who is by far my favorite Pirate. He does things right. The other was the fact that the ending had a very Empire Strikes back feeling to it in some parts for me because.... look at it this way:
The entire movie series has (as much as we might like to think it's Depp) revolved entirely around Will Turner and Elizabeth whatserface. Now their entire story has been a tragedy throughout! First she gets kidnapped, then she leaves him then goes for sparrow etc etc. Anyways by the end... He's doomed to fulfill his duty for eternity... heartless, and she can only see him once every 10 years! PWNED! What a downer for the both of them eh? I loved it, there was no corny happy ending to it, in a sense they 'got what they wanted' but it came with a harsh twist, which I thought was amazing. (Unfortunately, the movie had them turning on each other so many times, whether real or not, you kind of forgot that they actually loved each other).
The other ending quality that i loved was the fact that everyone went back to square one in the beginning. Jack doesn't have the Pearl, Barbossa is off with his crew to try to find some immortalizing treasure, (hmm... how will that end?), that old sideburns pirate is back in Tortuga with those two slapping... escorts? Square one, as the last thing we see of Sparrow is him in his little dingy boat. Everyone is where we love them to be at... (except the aforementioned lovers who are doomed to the eternity of love/despair that we saw in Davey Jones and Calypso).


Anyways, I liked the length to be honest... nowadays it's hard to watch a movie thats less than 3 hours long and consider it substantial. All because of Lord of the Rings eh?

I guess it's... just good business

Pirates

So in the last few days I've been randomly visiting old friends and it's been amazing! haha it suprises people when you randomly show up at their front door, and I got pumped on it, visited Foster and Rob the other day with Robin, then Mick yesterday and thats where I'll lead into my next topic

So at Mick's, we watched this new reality show called "Pirate Master" and there was this guy John on it who was a "Scientist.... / exotic dancer" which was pretty much an amazing career combination. The best part was the fact that he was just "Scientist", not a particular chemist or biologist.... just Scientist. Amazing.

Working Graveyard tonight, which will be the third week in a row.. and I've been unofficially put on that shift. I enjoy it though, lots of time to think, especially when I'm alone working somewhere, it's dark, I get into a zone where I just work and think... whats strange is lately when i get into that zone I think about musicals... constantly, particularly 'The Producers', but I've had the odd 'sound of music', and then randomly 'Animaniacs', which wasn't a musical but was musical at times.... eh?

Still haven't seen that new Pirates movie, I'd like to though, I've heard mixed reviews from friends.... and I'm not going to fall victim to the commercial slew of rants about how it's the BEST MOVIE OF THE SUMMER HAERADLKASJ, I'll decide that myself... and probably be critical of it... because I can.

I'm going to update in this more often, I didn't really have much to say, but I realised that I lost my blogger address when I cleared my Internet history to try to get rid of a glitch, so I came back and decided.... I'll write, I don't know about what... but I'll write
.
(this glitch by the way is horrible, on half hte sites I try to go to it shows a blank page with this

MANNN!! THE DREADED CODE WON"T EVEN LET ME PASTE IT INTO THE BLOG, when I do it quotes my "headline" and then ends the post... when you can clearly see there is more below.

see?


HORRIBLE!!! GO AWAY!

But whats worse!! Is that it also causes Youtube, myspace etc to not play any sound.... so when I'm on the internet there is no music... so I have no use for it. Why listen to itunes, I have music OFF computer. Anyways, this could be a blessing in disguise to free me from the clutches of the PC, but I'm giving it some time to see.

Yep.

Weak

So, the last few nights have been interesting... actually the last few days have been random in many sense. Of course true to my nature I've forgotten a lot of what would have happened, but what is fresh in my mind right now is that this morning i wake up to realize that i stepped on my phone sometime the night before! Which is needless to say disappointing because in the last two days I had been quite proudly admitting to people (when they started flashing their fancy new mp3 camera phones with.... built in TV's? i don't know, nice new ones) that my phone was still old free bee from a time gone by when i first got a cell phone plan, and it was old, beat up, but still a tank.

I guess you can't step on tanks.

Anyways, so that'll be my main objective for today, which will be to go and find a new phone. I think I'll betray my inner convictions on this one and get a nice new one too, like those razers.

Anyways! What else is fresh on my memory.

Nothing else! Other than some movies I've watched lately, but those aren't interesting to talk about on Blogs.
I work Graveyard shift next weekend, OH! and also next weekend is this Christian conference thing I'm going to, called "Avalanche", and Jason Upton is speaking! haha sweet eh? So, I'm hoping I don't work on that day.

Thats it for now I think.

Callings?

Yikes... today I had a crazy Stress out attack, not insane... but i started to get these horrible anxieties about the future... Can people really hear their calling? Of course... Did I hear my calling? Well... I was so sure, but now I'm terrified.
God please... help me with that? comfort me? Speak to me more? haha some MORE conformation? mabye? Please show me that I'm not insane.

What should I do to figure this out? To find the direction?
What should my first step be?


Anyways, Rise against is good, listening to that right now. Man, I really don't have enough in my mind to write about right now... let alone people reading the blog haha, oh well.

"Why being really lonely is sometimes super awesome"

It figures eh? I've been back for about 3 weeks now and when it comes to updating the blog (or journal for that matter... yikes, I haven't touched that since NZ, so much for my everyday streak)
I have no idea what to say, or to write about.

Since I've been back I've been hanging out a lot with people such as Danny and Krystal a few times, not doing too much. I've been reading I guess... but mostly catching up with people. I went to a show the other week? haha which was awesome, man... news isn't exciting unless it's fresh.... so! Today,

Hmm... Today was a fun little experience, went to a casting call for extras in a CBC movie about the CPR... it's a romance with Sam Neil (Jurassic Park) hahah, anyways, I don't really expect too much from it, 18 year olds with Hippity hoppity hippie hair don't exactly carry the same look as the... nice? old men with crazy beards and full our costumes. Anyways, fun experience, BUT while I was there this guy talked to me and told me he was filming an Indie film and would like me to Audition apparently I had the "look" (Thank you Hippie hair!) So we'll see how that unfolds, but nonetheless it was cool.

Then ran into Alex Bird in the mall while I was looking for shoes that aren't quite
as... well used? as the ones i have now... anyways, this is boring, chilled there then ended my day after stuff. Done, and done.

Oh, the name of the blog is from a scrubs episode, I downlaoded it and was watching it as I wrote this, and lost all creativity for thinking of a name "If I wanted to be any more depressed i'd read newbies latest blog entry" "Why Being lonely is sometimes super awesome" heh...

I like scrubs, been watching that, and Heroes... yes Heroes.


Yikes, was this lame, BUT I needed to update.

Stay in the Game.

There and back again

Well,

I'm back in Westbank now.


Thank you to everyone who read my blog during my time away, It means so much, and every time I hear from one of you who was reading the blog when I didn't know? Puts me on cloud 9, much appretiated.

Now to get rolling here in Canada.




What an Adventure this has been eh?


(End of Chapter 1, Chapter 2 "Canada"" begins shortly)

In New Zealand now.. haha

Well, Now i'm in Wellington

Before that I was in Sydney, but thats another story, I had a great time there as well, staying with family there was awsome. Really cool to meet people who are blood.. on the other side of the world!

Anyways, My flight to NZ was with Virgin Blue, with a layover in Melbourne..... BUT that flight got cancelled and all the people who were continuing on to Wellington got moved to Quantas! Which is a bonus because Virgin Blue is a cheap flight with no meals or movies etc, but Quantas is much nicer with food and drinks and etc. SO, I got a bonus there, which was really sweet.

It's really funny to me, every airport official asks "do you have a place to stay in NZ?" "No.." then they give me this "oh boy" look, haha, that aside I also only have one bag that is smaller than the one that i would use for school haha, this Yellow Backpack. Woo!

Got in at midnight, stayed in a hostel for the night, and then today I got lost and walked aimlessly through the outskirts of wellington... haha, THEN I missed the ferry that I wanted to get to Picton
(This is a very point form entry, I want to be sure I don't spend too much time on this and miss the next ferry) It all works out, even better in some aspects becuase I just got to see the Embassy theater (since missing it), thats the theater where they had the Premiers of the Lord of the Rings movies, so that was cool. Only downside is it'll be 9:00 pm coming IN to Picton, so I won't be able to see the landscape... win some, lose some. I don't know where I'm going to sleep though....

Actually... in Sydney I had mishaps similar to this come to think, I caught the wrong train home, so I wasn't able to get back in time to see my Sydney relatives (Rob and Ros) as they left for the Easter Weekend... I was trainhopping and station waiting for 3 hours... haha.
OH! But, Rob did give me Kangaroo steak! SO i made that for myself when I got home that night, and it made the night really fun, Kangaroo and "Lost survivors guide" was on TV.
Oh, I also watched "The Passion" on Good Friday, wow... I don't remember it being like that... I've never been so hit by a movie.

Team Tech

So this last little while has definatly been a transition. I have been on the tech team, setting up and tearing down stages for the past week? and it's going awsome. I've made good friends with the guys on the team, and we get along really well. I'm still living at the base foer the time being however, but that works out all for hte better because travelling for me is easier that way. Tonight I will be beggining to set up the skate ramps for the Gen X team that does all the skating, in-line-skating, BMXing (one of the guys is an ex world champion apparently), and lots of awsome dancing (break dancing is even cooler than I thought before)

Anyways, last night was Chuck's performance again and I have definatly decided that it's my favorite in the show. haha it was really funny actually, his little grass skirt at one point, during the New Zealand Haka called "The Crucifiction", his grass skirt thing started to fall off... it didn't completly, but in some of the turns haha it was funny. Two fire knive dancers last night, and one of the them had two sticks, man.... SO impressive. Best show of IWT for me, my favorite by far. But they are all so cool... after this it's going to Ohio and I'd love to try to go, road trip or something... so if anyone is interested haha i'd love to go and visit Chuck while he's in North America.


Hmm... I can't really think about what else to write about... IWT is essentially my life right now...

Was able to spend some nice time with James, Eric, S(o)imon and Adrian the other day from the "Long DTS" but it's wierd to think that i'm completly done... I'm not even with YWAM anymore, I'm with IWT... really cool, actually today I got my official papers confirming that I have graduated the "University of the Nations, Discipleship III training school" haha nice.

Anyways, there is an update for those of you who have not quite forgotten me yet haha it seems wierd I've almost forgotten that my time here is almost over... Now that DTS is over it's been a whole new world... not like theres a countdown ending... everyone who was to leave has left... so now it's me living in australia... haha what is "home" anymore?

Well... home can change and does change, but soon i'll be back "home" in Kelowna. In time.

Theres the Update! Very exciting eh? slightly lacking.... but I enjoyed writing it nonetheless.

-Jon

The End

Well, DTS is now over, and people are parting ways

Be Visionary I and II are out on DVD

Many the closest friends I've ever had are going back to their various locations across the world

I'm prepping myself for my current commitments (I signed on to help out with this Imapct world tour for the rest of the tour, working on the stage crews, setting up lights and sounds and construction and tear down, also working on skate ramps for the performers)

The future is here

6 months is so short, but so much happened, hearing God's voice, seeing miracles, healings and signs, making friends and family, laughing, movements, music and movies, pirates and ninjas, Perth and Vanuatu, early mornings, late nights, leaders, kangaroos, sunsets, coffee, books, philosophy, macs, revelations and ... wow

I can't even begin to explain the impact on my life this has been.

now for the next step ladies and gentlemen, a new chapter, a new season.

I will never ever forget this past 6 months... it would be impossible to...
my life has changed.

God is Amazing.




I'm stoked.

Thats Chucky!! LOOK! LOOK!

So, IWT time is progressing and it's been nothing but epic. SO much personal growth even in THIS time! You'd think Vanuatu was enough, haha but I can feel it even now, and It's awsome, I'm thankful for every second of it.

SO the Tour is going really really well, The events themselves are amazing, so awsome. We've been setting up and tearing down stages and venues and all sorts of whatnots which has been really cool to learn how to do. I've always wanted to have a better know-how about all the tech things behind shows, and now my experience is definatly growing.
Last night we saw the Island Dancing part of the tour, which Chuck was performing in and I was so pumped about. Seeing him doing what he loves in front of a huge public crowd, so exciting. I have been on stage quite a few times in my life and I remember people would always come up to me and tell me how pumped they were to see me, or how excited they were, and I never really understood their enthusiasm, I was without a doubt thankful for it, but never could really identify with how pumped they'd be about me being up there. Then last night haha oh man, I couldn't stay still i was so pumped for Chuck, I was shouting out Samoan war cries and clapping the entire way through "THATS CHUCK!! MAN THIS IS AWSOME!!". Love it, I was so pumped for him.

Anyways, so the two shows that we've been helping out with have been The extreme one with strong men and whatnot. HUGE teddy bears of guys who push themselves to an extreme limit, it's intense. We've done two...two? yeah two shows with them, and then one with island breeze last night. They have been intense. Really fun, I'm lacking on sleep however, people say they can see it on my face, but i'm okay with that. Pushing myself harder reminds me that I'm alive, my arms and legs feel worked out from all the stage whatnot, which is good BURN IS GOOD.

Anyways.... unfortunatly I can't really think of what else to say...


OH! I've heard a rumour that there are some people at home who have put the preverbial 'last nail in my coffin' haha, assuming that I'm never coming back. That is in no way true, and i apologise to everyone who has asked me that and i've given such an undecided answer because the true deal is, I'm still waiting to hear my calling. My future plans and future destinations with life rely entirely on where I am led, and to this point i have recieved faint whispers about guidance but I am still waiting till I hear exactly what my purpose is. Which is seeming closer and closer every day, BUT nonethe less, I'll have to come home sometime soon, Australia will only let me stay in the country for another month or so with my visa, SO Even if i feel my calling is to somewhere away from home for "the next 2 years" as I've mentioned to people before, I will still have to return home for a short bit LEGALLY. So yea, I'm not quite dead yet.

SO thats all I can think of right now. Life is still amazing, and I'm finding more and more purpose in it every single day. Your not dead, and thats not the only reason to be happy, it's an amazing one, and a single strong foundation. But there is so much.... so much in life that.. haha yes! Love love.

Thank you YET AGAIN for all the E-mails everyone, you put such a smile on my face and I am so excited to see you again. You are all Numbawan

Oh yea, Remember when i fouind thebleedingalarm in a Perth CD store? now i foudn stutterfly.... or the... band previously known as stutterfly?

"GOD BLESS US.... EVERYONE"

-Jon

I'm home

Well, I'm back home in Perth now, and needless to say...Vanuatu was epic... is was amazing and it was legendary. I have so many stories for every single person and so many miraculous wowza's it was the best.


You see, getting back into the atmosphere in Perth with all the western commodities was no doubt a bit of a shock. In the Sydney airport for a layover it was intense to see so many.... buisnessmen, tourists, obvious westerners it was crazy! Now back in Perth we are exposed to all the familiaritys of the western world.... internet, coffee shops, Hungry Jacks (also known as Burger King in North America), and of course... Jerks on the street haha.

It's a crazy culture shock for all our teams, being back in the western world, but we are easily moving into our new routines.

We are currently helping out with this huge event thats coming to Perth, 4 years of prep. It's going to be Huge. We are Being ushers and security and setting up stages etc etc. Some are actually helping perform (Chuck from my Vanuatu outreach)

We have new Outreach teams now, which is cool, I've been appointed as a secondary leader of sorts. So when the leader of hte team is unable to do something (for example the other day when she was stuck in bed becuase of Bronchitus) then I step into the position of leadership. Which is really cool.... especially since I'm the youngest on the team heh, it's quite an honour to have that responsibility. (even when it means waking up before sunrise everymorning)

Anyways, I don't really know what to write..... We are currently staying at this campground which is like luxury to me! Running water!! imagine that? AND electricity! pretty cool.

Anyways, my life has no doubt changed in these last few months and I can't wait for people to see how... it's nothing I can really write about in the blog... some things i guess.... but it's just complete transformation in hte best ways ever. I love it.

It's hard to write about the experiences becuase of how many things happened.... and it's something that can't just be told on a blog. So, I'm sorry about this blog's lack of "update" stories.... These last few months have been incredible in every single way. If there is ANYONE who would be wanting some kind of recommendation about this, Mabye considering doing the same thing i've done/doing/ may keep doing!

I say with no hesitation DO IT!

Life is amazing, and all of you back home are amazing for your continuing support. I hope everything is going awsome with all of you and I wish you all the best.

Still trying to recognise the calling however....

It'll be clear in time.

I'll blog again next chance I get (mabye with photo's? But don't hold your breath...)

-Jon

Tails, Trails and Trials

WOW


This second half of outreach has outamazed me X10 from the last one. If you thought hte stories in my last post were powerful, if you thought hte things that were seen in the last post were awsome, if you thought that that was a pretty intense report of God's true power of seeing him move through people, and fight against darkness.....


oh boy...ha HA!


So, where to begin. I left the plkace where i currently am, Vila, a while back now, and went back to Lelepa, where we finished off hte water tank so that it is "fully operational"...heh. We were there for a while and had some cool time where we went and prayed and worshipped in this HUGE amphitheater cave that they say spirits are in. But that was Lelepa, adn although there are stories tehre, that I will tell you all in person in full detail, awsome stories, amazing stories, funny stories, i need to get this blog done fast before this internet cafe place kills me of my money.

SO we went to The Island of Emau, and that was possibly one of the most amazing, most powerful times of my life. I have seen things i never thought i could have seen before, i have seen God move, i have seen the reality of hte spiritual world like there is no tommorow. THe west... just doesn't see it... it's so hidden... but not here, they know whats real.

We went around to all 6 villages on the island, backpacking, and in each village we were taking a census for health, occupational things, etc etc. Just to serve the people. 2 nights in each village, some on hte coast, some in hte hills, one by a lagoon.
Some villages built relationships with us so strong... in the two days that they actually wrote us songs and danced when we left.... tears in their eyes. So moving. This one elder, William, from the second village actually came with us to every village after htat on the island, and became hte 12 member of our group.... and thus, we became the 12 disciples of sorts. And just as the Bible says the "signs that will accompany followers of christ" include, casting out of demons, healings, safety from sicknesses, and more. We experienced them all.

Like..... i docn't even know how to tell all teh stories..... i really can't i guess, it would take much too long on a blog, but i can promise you all very good reports when i get back, with photo's and all sorts.


I've been speaking a fair bit, for example the other day I spoke to a group of 40, 20 somethin's year olds, about the world you enter into when your a christian, the reality of what it is, and totally taking away the veil over people's eyes that being a christian is somehow.. a "wimpy" thing, becuase it throws you into a world, into a real battle that is sometimes hard to handle... spiritually, it drains you.


But it is worth.. every.. single.. second of it.

I had one church elder who was watching my "message" come up to me later for prayer, and told me he was incredible moved by it... he kept repeating it. I'd love to be able to tell any of you readers about it as well, it was probably one of my largest revelations I've ever recieved was this new perspective. Christianity is NOT just salvation and 'going to church', oh man, it's so much more.


SO aside from even the discipleship and the missions work in itself, we have all been having SUCH an amazing time, we have climbed mountains, we have been swimming in hte beautiful south pacific, we have been eating... some of the strangest food, I had not been shaving until yesterday haha, lots of amazing bonding times and awsome times with the guys especially haha, we have been scratched and bruised, we have laughed and just... it's amazing.


BUT! i have to go, time to get on with the rest of today..... THANK YOU EVERYONE for your E-mails! For your shout out's! On Myspace, or even to through my Dad hahah. I Love you all so much, and i wish you all the best.


Stay strong
Keep Praying
Believe
and Fight.

Pray Dangerous Prayers.

-Jon

PS. OH YEA, I GOT SCABIES, and in short form of some other funny things.... there is now a baby on one of these islands that will soon be named "Joe-Chucky" (A little girl.. haha), i was just reminded of that right now... anyways, have to run)