A weekend a long time coming

Hello All

This weekend I have the honour of being the photographer for the wedding of 2 of my best friends, Dana & Jon. They asked me a long time ago, and while it has been a lot of time and effort to prepare (and it still is), I am really looking forward to the day. Hopefully things go amazing, the weather is supposed to be great, and that God calms both their nerves and allows them to enjoy the day they have worked so hard on. God Bless them both as their embark on their new lives together.

Mark

P.S. If you want to check out their engagement photos, please visit:

http://members.shaw.ca/JDMcNeill

Well I guess I should post on this thing sometime eh? Just a quick update, because I need to go to bed, which I should have done a LONG time ago. I went to Bart & Lisa's in Pincher creek for christmas day, it was pretty great. I worked boxing day, and hten I went home from the night of the 26th to the 2nd. It was good, but no snow, as usual:( I LOVE snow. I hate the brown grass. Its crap. But home was fun, tracey and luke and angelina were there, and we went swimming, shopping, eating, and ping ponging. Good times. I wish our family wasn't so spread out. I hate the fact that I can only see them once or twice a year. Hopefulyl someday we will live closer.

Night!

Mark

I really have no idea what this thing is, but hey it looks cool, so I'll post it. Maybe someday it will catch up to my college degree:)

Oh and please don't get a cash advance, those things are stupid. I almost spelled stupid wrong there, wouldn't that have been ironic?

Cash Advance Loans

Mark

Well I guess its time for a new post eh? Two weekends ago, the 19th and 20th, the much anticipated trip to Dordt finally came...and went! I drove to Edmonton on Wednesday night, and got to the airport at a very early time. I met with the students there, 10 of them went, and they said goodbye to their parents and we were off! They were all really cool kids, I tried to talk to and spend some time with each of them, but some were quiet and some were fomr friendly. The plane rides went well, no problems, and we had fun playing cards and making fun of a wierd lady who threw her lipstick-kissed cards at us during a long layover in Denver. Dordt was really awesome though! Thursday night Angelina and I went to the play (which was very long, Shakespear of course), and then I went to Topher's to meet up with some friends til around 2. The next day I took care of some business around dordt, loans and things, and saw friends. Then Jay decided to show up at around 5. I had envisioned us seeing each other at a distance, and running through a field of daisies to greet each other with open arms. Alas, he simply knocked on the friends room that I was in, and we just said hi and hugged. But then we went out for supper to Hardy's, and he and Angelina played in a concert that night. I went to the Bean and got a coffee in order to stay awake, it was quite delightful. After the concert we got some free food at the reception, went to comedy league for a little bit, and then we...well I honestly can't remember what we did. Sad eh? I was really tired though. Saturday Jay and I made bread with one of his friends while Angelina did homework, then we had lunch, and went on a Photo Adventure! The results are up on facebook. We checked out the soccer game, and also lacrosse, and then left for Bob's Bar in Nebraska. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martinsburg,_Nebraska) We had lots of fun, and two of Jay's friends, Betsy and Dani, came along. We had lotsa fun, and afterwards we saw the movie "Across the Universe" in sioux city. Very good. In fact I am going to see it again this weekend. After we got back we went stargazing in the field behing the Prez's house (who I actually talked to for about 20 minutes!) so we stayed up til about 5AM watching the meteors, sleeping (mostly me), and talking. Sunday morning we went to church, ate the only good meal at the commons, and then I had to leave. It was sad to say goodbye...again. I hate leaving there, because it feels so much like home, even more than my parents place. I have so many good memories there, it's hard to say goodbye, and it makes it even harder because one of my very best friends is there. Hopefully he will join me in Calgary someday;) The trip back was good too, I talked to some of the students about their experience, but I had a hard time relating to some of them. Hopefully they all had a good time, and I wish they would all go to dordt someday, and be able to have as good as a time there as I did. And hopefully I will see some of them again sometime, they were all really cool...
And here is a picture to say goodbye...Too bad it was into the sun, so our eyes are all squinty and stuff.

Bangers and Mash...

Hi! I haven't updated for a while, so I guess I should do that while I have the chance! Work is going alright at Saneal, but I am torn. On one hand I really enjoy camera's and such, but on the other hand, I despise how the business is run and how immoral it is! And I can't do anything about it. It sucks. And its pretty slow right now, so I'm hoping it picks up, and in a hurry!

Other than that, there is not a lot going on in my life. I want to get out and meet more new people, but I am working mainly 12-9 p.m., so there aren't many chances to go out. Hopefully I can get that changed soon. Last weekend I went to Edmonton with Dana(a friend) so we could watch her fiancee play football, and I also got to see Justin Croswell. Good times were had.

In 2 weeks though, I get to go back to Dordt!! I am chaperoning a group of alberta students for a campus visit, so I get to see Jason and my lil sister, as well as a whole gaggle of other friends! I'm really excited, it's also parents weekend so there will be TONS going on!

Well I think that's all for now, Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I'll be working, so if you are having turkey, eat an extra lil slice for me!

Mark

Talk

I did a talk a while ago, about Seeing God. Feedback would be appreciated! If you want to listen to the story of Stella, Star of the Sea, you can find it here:

http://media.newhopechurch.ca/media/av/20041017/20041017_01_32kbps.mp3 (it'll be about 18 minutes in)

And the Talk can be found here: http://members.shaw.ca/mrkwkkrn/Talk.pdf

Please let me know what you think!

Mark

Hello to all my readers...although there probably is just one! Sorry I havent posted a lot lately, these last few weeks have been crazy! I have been working a ton, which has caused me to decide to quit my full time job at GS1 and go back to just the camera store full time; I have been helping my roommate move, and dealing with a crappy landlord; I had a "fight" with a very dear friend, which was not fun and caused me to lose much sleep; and to top things all off, somebody decided that it would be fun to spray paint my Jetta!! I woke up on Friday morning to find that someone had spraypainted a black squiggly line along the majority of the drivers side, and apparently they think that I am a fag. Not cool. But today my friends told me that they are going to have a bottle drive to help me pay for fixing it, I was pretty impressed! I am really looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow, and then cleaning and organizing the rest of the day!

Toodles;
Mark

Well, it was pretty fun! We surprised a friend with a surprise birthday party on Friday night, which had some awesome food, and I left for camping on Saturday afternoon. It was good to see most of the fam again, I havent seen lots of my cousins and other such members for almost 2 years now. We basically hung out at the beach for 2 days, ate good food (including amazing steak!), and chatted around the campfire. I got pretty burnt, but I think I shall crisp nicely after all is said and done. I got back Sunday night, in order to meet up with some friends and go out for dinner after church, then unpack and play some halo. Good times:)
Ciao, Mark

Quick Update

This weekend should be really fun! I am going to a housewarming party friday night, then going to a family reunion campout on Saturday/Sunday, and hopefully I will get to see Marike Boerema this weekend too! She is visiting edmonton from North carolina That's all, I am really stoked, but I need to get some sleep.

Mark

a while

wow I guess I havent posted in a while. Some things have changed in my life, here's a little catch up

-a big one, I moved! Adrian and I found a house with a friend's girlfriend, so she is living in the basement suite and we are in the 2 bedrooms upstairs! Well really it's just mainly me for the summer, Adrian is staying in our old place until our lease is up, and Erin (the friend's gf) is a teacher so she is basically doing random things for the summer. It's a pretty nice house, in a REALLY sweet neighborhood (a converted army base with lots of old school architecture). It's a good drive to work, and pretty quick too. So far I think I like it:) Although its bloody hot being on the 3rd floor in the summer... I'm not a big fan of living here by myself, I get kinda lonely sometimes, but I am working on that. (see #3)

-today at work the photographer announced she is resigning in 2 weeks. I was very sad, I liked her (Julie) a lot. We get a long well, and she basically trained me. But on the other side, maybe this will open up a new job opp. for me, I'm going to apply for her job, and hope for the best. I don't really have any formal training, but if they are willing to work with me and train me, I think I could do really well!

-I'm trying to meet more people here in Calgary (again!). I really love my friends, but as usual, they are ALL couples! NOthing is wrong with that, but it's hard to make meaningful relationships with 1 person, let alone 2. Plus there is that whole 3rd wheel thing. So I'm trying to meet more people, hopefully make some more friends, and we'll see what happens.

-I asked for saturday's off from Saneal camera's, and they actually gave it to me! I wanted them off so that I can hopefully get some experience working with a real photographer, but so far I haven't had any luck. Hopefully soon!

That's all for now,
Marko

Hello

Tomorrow I am off to the island for my sister's graduation, and Dustin's wedding. After 18 days of working with no days off, I am ready for a break! On one hand I am excited to go and see the fam, but on the other hand I wish I could stay here because another couple I am getting to be pretty close with are getting married here. Basically all of my friends in Calgary will be there. But I'm stuck down to going to the island, so no more complaining about teh situation. I just hope that God has a reason for me to be there! (and I really hope its not that I have to learn this lesson the hard way- I hate those!). Pray for safe travel, good weather, and that God will bless each couple as they join each other in holy matrimony:)

Mark

well my shift keys dont work because the mute button my keyboard is stuck, so this post will be interesting. but dont let that deter you from reading it.

these past 2 weeks i have been working - a lot. 7 days a week in fact. and for some reason i still dont have much money, i need to find out where it is all sneaking off to. but oh well, its just money right.

tonight i went to what is called 'thing', and afterwards we went to tim hortons. there i realized what wonderful friends i have. i wont bore you with the details, but it was a really fun night. i wish i could be more on teh same stage of life as they are, as in a relationship, because it would make it a lot easier to find activities to do and ways to hang out, but oh well, hopefully someday. one of my friends told me i apparently have a line up of girls:) that was painstakingly accomplished with my friend the character map.

goodnight to all,
mark

what to title this post...?

Well I really have no idea what to say on this post. Things have been going alright with my jobs, except for the fact that I have no days off until the 29th of June. Then I get to go home:) But until then, its work, work, work. Everyon is doing alright from last post, everyone is healed, although Im sure James and Adam miss their sister very much.
I have decided that I need to make more friends. More friends to hang out with during the week. I love my friends now, but they are all very busy during the week, and I get lonely:( Not fun. So I setting out to rectify that situation.
Mark

Wow what a day...

Hey everyone.. Wow today was such a day...in a bad way. I went to a funeral today for some friends (twins) little sister. One of the twins was my table leader at TEC, and the other one I know through church. Their sister was a diabetic, but apparently the parents didnt know it, and that was the main cause of her passing. She was only 2 and a half. It was hard to see such a small coffin, and it was especially tough when they played a slideshow of various pictures of her, and in some she looked EXACTLY like my little sister! Very heart wrenching. It was also tough because the entire family aren't christians(parents are divorced), and it was tough to see the spiritual warfare going on in the family.

THen on the way to a barbeque later on tonight, I was driving with some friends, and there was an accident up ahead. I saw it and said "I hope that's not one of our friends"(who were also heading to the bbq, and it turned out to be another friend of mine from Church! It was a 3 car pileup, and his (Jon) car was in the middle, basically sitting on top of another car. As we drove by I saw him standing behind the cars, and of course, was very scared for him and his fiancee, Dana (read the last post). I called him and he said he was alright. Later on that night though, I got a call from a friend saying he was in the hospital, and they were checking him out becuase he was in mucho pain. Turns out he is going to be alright, he has some bruised vertebrae and a bruised collar bone. This isnt good, because he is a football player, and needs to keep in shape for the upcoming fall season. So if you guys could please pray for him and Dana as they try to get a new car and he gets healed. Also pray for James and Adam's family (the friends who's sister's funeral I went to) as they mourn for her, and also help them see God in the situation.

Thanks,

Mark

This one goes out to you Brophy part 2

Well hello to you all again, as promised, here is an update of my life!!
Things are going really well here in Calgary...now. This past weekend I went on a retreat for youth called TEC (Teens Encounter Christ). It’s really meant for teens age 16-21, but almost all of my friends have gone, and they really encouraged (and allowed) me to go. Overall, it was a really amazing weekend. I won’t tell a lot of details because there are tons of surprises, but I was really loved and blesses by a TON of people!
Overall the weekend was difficult, emotionally and spiritually speaking. My group was extremely small (I was the only participant on my table, the other guy didn’t show up), and my table leaders were James and Dana (a friend I know through Center Street church). James didn’t participate much, but that was very understandable because he had just had a family tragedy. Dana, however, was an amazing leader and is an awesome friend. We had some awesome heart to heart talks about things we had/are struggling with, and it was great to finally be able to open up to someone with no reservations. Not that I am not able to open up with my other friends, it is just different with her. And I like it (BTW she is engaged, and not to me, so I don’t want to hear any comments about it!)
The other thing that happened on the weekend that was really trying for me happened on Sunday night. Before dinner, I was doing great, we were having awesome discussions, I was in good spirits, and things were going excellent. After dinner, however, things were a different story. I was in THE worst mood of my life, and I could barely function. There were hilarious skits going on, and I could barely manage to smile, let alone laugh. I tried to worship and find God, but it was like he was not around. I almost felt like Satan had found a weak spot in my faith, snuck in, and was squeezing all of the spirituality and faith out of me. I had no idea what to do, and it was obviously scary. Laurel, another friend I had known before the weekend asked if I needed anything and offered to talk while I was reading my Bible (which also wasn’t working), but it stupidly told her I was okay, when I clearly wasn’t. I had gone to bed, and barely slept all night, so the next morning wasn’t very fun.
After breakfast Dana sensed that I was not alright, and we went upstairs and continued a meaningful discussion we had had the day before. I was able to share a lot of stuff with her that I had not shared with anyone ever before, and a huge burden was taken off my shoulders. It was great.
After that, the happenings were once again swell. There was a reconciliation service where a lot of prayers were given up to God, a very intimate & awesome worship service, and then a great closure where a lot of friends showed up. And to top it off, I got lots of lovely wheat;)

Cheers, til next time,
Mark

This one goes out to you Brophy

Hey guys
Sorry I havent posted in a LONG time, I will write soon, I promise!! If you do not see a new post here by 6 P.M. tomorrow evening, please barrage me with requests!! (I really need sleep now)

Mark

The true story behind Easter

A long time ago on the moon there lived a giant nest birds made from marshmallows. The birds were ruled by an evil overlord, who was a pink invisible unicorn, ruled them. He made the birds feed him their eggs, which were made out of a substance called chocolate. While this substance does nothing for humans it gave the unicorn god like powers. But there was one capable of stooping the evil unicorn, a bunny called Easter. But he was not yet powerful enough to defeat the unicorn, so he wrote a letter to his local physics congressman and was able to change the laws of physics allowing him to do things that would have been impossible before. But once the Bunny arrived on the moon, he did not kill the unicorn but rather asked how he could be invisible yet still be pink. This paradox then caused the unicorns head to explode like the death star only more awesome. Then the birds made the bunny their ruler and good times were had by all as he ruled for the rest of the week as a benevolent leader thing. But one day the birds were tired and decided that they didn't want to work, but instead wanted to update their myspace pages. This called the bunny to become very angry and so he yelled at the birds and forced them to work in his cheese mines. And at first they feared him and good times were had by all again. But eventually the birds rebelled and an epic battle was raged across the moon, I mean really epic like ten times more epic then that battle in the third lord of the rings movie. But eventually the bunny succeeded in killing the birds. He now feeds us the bodies of the dead birds and calls them peeps because that's the last thing they said when they died. He also returns to earth every year to lay the eggs left over from the invisible unicorns regime as a trap to lure out any of his followers or descendants. So what are you waiting for hurry up and paint the eggs and look busy before he kills us all.

The True Story of Easter

Well let's hope this works today! I have been busy, working 2 jobs now, both are going really well(except the full time one is kinda boring). My trip to dordt was really awesome, it was kinda like the token "last return" kinda trip. It was fun to see most of my friends again, but it was also happy and sad. It was great to see them, hard to say see ya later (and most likely not again for some, harsh realities, I know, but hopefully in heaven again:). It was also kind of awkward talking to some people, which I didnt expect, but I guess that happens.

Life in Calgary is going really well, church wise. I am really loving New Hope, my morning church, and I am getting more involoved with it. I am now working on the video team, so that we can put Pastor John's sermons on teh web as Podcasts. It's pretty sweet, I get to work with some awesome equipment and share my "expertise"(not a lot, but apparently some people think I have some!). I go to Center Street church at night, and see more friends there, and then we hang out after the service and go out for food. Its pretty fun. I also am going to a Bible study with people from New Hope, which I went to tonight, and I really like that. Its really honest and open, like most other things at that chuch. Nothing is fake, nothing is hidden. I love it. There is also "Thing" too, which is a youth service on saturday nights, adn that is really awesome too.

Other than that, a friend and I had a really great "conversation" last night about marriage, and God's plans for our lives. I've been struggling for a LONG time to trust God about finding that special someone, but now I'm finally starting too. It'll be a long road, but Im excited about seeking him out and finding his will:)

So excited!!!

Hey

4 days!!! 4 more sleeps until I make my return tour to dordt! I am really looking forward to seeing everyone again (hopefully people remember me)! I get there thursday afternoon, so I will go to swim night one more time, and then to Thirsty Thursday's for a final shabang. And who knows what else!

Mark

Wow I havent posted for a long time, I bet you are wondering what is up!! Well this weekend a LOT happenend, my parents and younger sister came for a visit, I got a car(a sweet 1996 Jetta GLS), AND I started a new job!! I now retouch product photo's for marketing(like Safeway catalogues), and its pretty cool. Sitting in front of a computer does make my eyes hurt though.
I am super stoked right now because tomorrow I am going to Lethbridge because Dordt's band is playing, and CHRIS Wyenberg wil be there!!! Along with many other cool peopls of course. But I am very excited to see them! Hopefully it will be good weather and the drive will go well.
Toodles,
Mark