A hike

Today, Jesse, Stephen, and myself had a blast. Early this morning, at about 6:00, we drove to Kananaskis for a hike. I admit that it didn't seem like pleasant circumstances to hike in as once we got about an hour out of Calgary it was simply pouring. But once we arrived at our destination, a hiking trail called 'powderface', it seemed to clear up a lot. We didn't really want to risk going on a long hike and then having the clouds just pour on us, so we first decided to visit Elbow falls.

It was really beautiful. Early in the morning, gray weather, nobody around. It was awesome. We ended up wandering around for close to an hour, having a blast. Despite a certain tendancy a certain member of our party could not seem to avoid. Trees can hold massive amounts of water on their leaves.

Then we went on the trail, and made about a third of the way before we turned around. Finally, we took a look at some of the pictures that Jesse took, and low and behold, Jesse had actually taken some portraits that both Stephen and I liked! (Not saying he's bad at portraits. It's just that both Stephen and myself consider ourselves as un-photogenic.)

My Weekend post.

Put simply, this weekend was awesome. It was definitely where I was supposed to be (rather than at work.) To write a full description that covers everything would be like using a canoe in the ocean. So instead, I'll just hit my personal highlights. A motorboat on the ocean, go fast enough and you skip crest to crest.

~ First one has to be my Baptism. Going in, I had no idea what my feelings were on the matter, other than I knew it was time to do it. Coming out, I still had no idea what my feelings were I only knew they were there. Correct feelings. Before hand, I wrote out my entire testimony, probably being about 300 words long. But then when I walked up to the front of the circle, and started talking, I realized it wasn't the right thing to say, as well
as being to long for me to go through without totally choking up even more. And if there was one thing in the world that I wanted at that point, it was to finish my spiel without crying. Which totally proves that I've no control over anything.

It was really profound. The whole thing. But I'm only just beginning to comprehend what it really means in my life. But hey, Rome wasn't built in a day.

~ Watching the stars till 5:00 in the morning. Cozy warm in a sleeping bag, lying on the perfect slope to encourage restfulness, talking about random things that were the most important topics in the world, even if they weren't.

~ Making some of the people I love laugh, and laugh, and laugh. All because it was starting to get light.

~ Looking at beautiful sleeping faces.

~ The look on Rachel's face when I planted the idea of tipping Merissa into the water.

~ The look on Merissa's face, just before we tipped her.

~ The look on Merissa's face, when she realized it was my idea.

~ Throwing rocks at Robert as he climbed down a cliff. Sorry, dirt. Not rocks.

~ Climbing down the same said cliff barefoot. Because Robert made it down with only water shoes, and I totally had to top him. Then having Rachel do it as well, and then racing back up hill. Everyone barefoot.

~ Having an engineer tell other people that I'm smart. And knowing that he means it with all his heart, even if I don't believe it totally myself.

~ Having a deep conversation with Chris Dirk. We're both making a lot of progress.

~ Talking with Dalton. You're so my bro Dalt, and you'll always be that way.

~ Exchanging looks with Dain.

~ Going on a hike early Sunday morning and actually having people follow my lead. I don't get it. People tell me why, and I still don't get it.

~ Singing off key on a hill top in the middle of nowhere with a bunch of other people singing off key. Then singing something on key, and noticing the difference.

~ Chris praying with me before the baptism.

~ And last (for now) and definitely not least, is hugs.

Laser Master

So, here I am sitting at work, listening to some Frank Sinatra which David brought. And I'm bored. Real bored. There's absolutely nothing happening. Even the gas is slow. Now, I would bet that you are thinking something like: there is always something to do. But I kid you not.

Anyhow, I felt like just doing a post that says a lot without saying anything important or even pretending to. If stuff like that is boring to you, then you can't blame me, cause I warned you.

So, now that I'm writing to myself, I should decide what I'm actually going to write about. Hrmm.

Last night, Robert, Rett and I went and played two games of laser tag. Kind of a split second thing, but still lots of fun. It ended up that the three of us got the 6000 foot arena entirely to ourselves. What followed was fifteen minutes of bloody ruthless massacre as I scored more kills than both of them put together. Me, the shrimp of the three.

Somewhat disgruntled by the rough treatment they had received, Rett and Robert then decided that they would team up. Their stated goals : to make the upstart outlaw, known as Layne, pay for his insolence. What followed was another fifteen minutes of brutal warfare as both Rett and Robert tried to annihilate me from the score. And it was to their great embarrassment that I walked out of the arena with a score 1 and 1/2 times bigger than their individual scores put together.

They later informed me that even though I had beaten both of them together, it did not entitle me to a victory breakdance in the parking lot.

I, however, disagree.

Who I Want be When I Grow Up

I'll give you one hint. The answer isn't "astronaut"

The first time I heard this song, I didn't get past the first minute.
I thought the music was a little lame. And it is, at least to begin with.
But later, it becomes so powerful that sometimes it brings tears to my eyes.
Uhh. . . to get the same effect, you have to listen to it a bit louder than I usually would.

Good luck figuring that out.

Today work went really well, as well as really tiring . I got soaked to the bone twice in as many hours, and was thoroughly miserable. But in the end, I kept everything together and my manager told me that I'm doing excellent work and have become a very valuable part of their team.

Guess that means training is over.

Music and Emotion

It is so interesting to run into a track from a soundtrack or other music that so connects with how you're feeling.

Notes from TR

So yesterday was my first TR meeting. The first ones all always the most interesting aren't they? What I especially enjoyed, was Nathan and Jesse's topic and the way they led it. It was for the most part concise and very interesting. However, I'm afraid I'm someone who always learns more from the rabbit trails rather than the main thrust of any given message. Trails that call and beckon me. They know my name and ask me to follow. It is in this way that I have learned at least half of every meaningful theological truth that I know.

Anyhow, I felt that it would be beneficial for me to outline some of the things I learned. Most of the following trails were brought to the table by Nathan.

The Solidity of God's love

Probably the most important thing I learned was that nothing can seperate me from Jesus' love. In the past year it has seemed like God's love has grown, then faded. It seemed to ebe and flow depending on my life. It was so easy to fall into the trap of thinking that Jesus loved me less cause of my actions. And it was so discouraging.

But in reality, it is far different. It's not God's love who changes, it's my perception of God's love that changes. By believing that God's love changes depending on me ultimately blinds me to the same. It then takes a massive amount of love to open my eyes again. It's so sad.

As I put it to my good friend Timmy, it's sort of like the story of Paul. We see God's love so blindingly that we go blind to some of the other things He's doing in our lives. It takes another loving touch for the scales to fall off our eyes.

How Sin is never absent

This point I found particularly helpful. The knowledge that even our righteous acts are tainted by sin is somewhat freeing. I have struggled so much within the last couple years with how twisted everything is. I'm always examining my motives for any act of charity I want to perform, and it's always been very disturbing to find that there always is a sinful motive lurking somewhere along the line. But to know that everyone has to struggle with that and that it's natural is so relieving.

The Glorious Ministry

I ran across these verses. Jesse stopped the verse before, but I kept going. I'll let them speak for themselves.

2 Corinthians 3:7-9
"But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away.
How will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?
For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory."

Thinking of last saturday night, I know I saw many countenances bright with that glory.