It's been a while!!

Hey everybody!!

I know it's been a very long time since I've last blogged. Mike Powell has been constantly bugging me about that, so here I am!! This time, not so much procrastinating since my next final is not until Friday, but just wandering about the internet, a little bit bored. So, am update on the life of Marie Thompson since April. I went home to Windsor for the summer and worked at a company called Cypher Systems Group. They are a holding company that has I think about 5 or 6 companies beneath them. They deal in anything from car insurance, travel insurance to a fully owned 3-par, 9 nine golf club. That's one of the main reasons I got so interested in golf this summer. I still suck, but I enjoy it a lot more than in the past! Anyways, I worked in the accounting department there and had a wonderful time. It's really the first time that I've worked in a professional setting with people fairly close to my age. My first two co-op work terms were done in the government, and there just weren't many people my age, unless you count the other co-op students. :)
Nothing else really interesting happened this summer. I went to Niagara Falls for the first time ever with my best friend, Susan. We made a real road trip of it and rented a car. It was a blast, but also quite busy since we decided to go Canada Day weekend. Of course, I went again about a month later for Dan and Juli's wedding which was quite nice and I (and everyone else I've talked to) had a great time. It really was a very nice ceremony (with some very nice singing, if I may be so bold!!:) ) I must go back and change my statement above, a lot of wonderful and exciting things happened this summer, and I was supremely blessed to be a part of them. :)
Now I've been back for four months for my last semester as an undergraduate. You'd think I'd be happy to complete school and get this portion of my life over with, but it's weird. I'm quite sad to be leaving Ottawa and everyone here, and I've been in school for as long as I can remember, it will be weird not having to do it anymore!! I guess that's what growing up is all about...I just wished someone had consulted me before they made me do it! But I'm getting depressing. This really will be an exciting adventure.
But I must look to the bright side....it's almost Christmas. This is one of my favourite times of the year. I love Christmas carols and decorations and giving people stuff. It's just such a wonderful time. I'm also going home in 6 days and I can't wait for that. It will be nice to be at home again and go to the Christmas Eve service at my church and unwrap gifts Christmas morning when it's still dark and the lights on the tree twinkling. It's such a fun time.
Well, I'm going to go for now. Hopefully I will be better about this in the future and keep everyone who wants to know up to date on what is happening in the life of me, Marie Thompson. It's not a very exciting life, but full of ups and downs as is everyones. It's interesting, at the very least, I should like to hope. Until later, then.....

Procrastination

Okay, well, it's exam time, and one of the things that always hits me at this time of year, is procrastination. "I don't need to study just yet, let me do this" is one of my most common phrases. Another phrase I have heard during this stressful time of year is "I can't study in this room, it's way too messy. I'll just have to clean it first." (that was Jen Kurz, by the way). So, I think procrastination is something that hits everyone. Like now, instead of studying for my final on Thursday, or packing, because I'm taking basically my entire room to Windsor in less than two weeks, I'm posting a blog.

So, why do we procrastinate? Is it something that is inherently born into us, that we must put off for as long as possible something we have been dreading? It will come eventually, and we ought to prepare for it. Maybe we feel that by putting it off, we will be more focused, as I've often said, "I work better under pressure." It is somewhat true, if I put something off long enough, I know I'll have to get it done, and therefore I work hard at completing it. But maybe, just maybe, if I had started sooner, I would have done a better job than leaving it to the last minute. Maybe we just like pain, staying up until 3am to finish a paper that is due at 8 the next morning. It's the stereotypical university student, after all, to be up until all hours. Why go against what society thinks of us? I guess we're just like everyone else before us, and I really don't think it's going to change in the future all that much.

But it's deinitely not only university or college students that procrastinate. Children and adults procrastinate when it comes to cleaning, or doing this or that task. This is a problem that is definitely universal to all people. Is there a cure for procrastination? Or is it unavoidable? Will we always procrastinate no matter how much we tell ourselves we are going to be better this year? I can't remember how many New Year's Eves have gone by where I say that I will do better this year. I'll study harder, not put off my homework to the last minute, and begin to prepare for exams at least a month in advance. Do I do it? Of course not! I guess it just goes against human nature (at least my human nature).

I got to thinking though. I procrastinate in school, but what else do I procrastinate on? What else do I dread, that I put it off to the very last minute? Then I thought to myself, "Well, Marie, you put off witnessing until you can't avoid it at all, that's procrastination." Do I take those opportunities that the Lord gives me to share His amazing gospel with everyone I meet, whether it be at school, work or some random stranger I meet on the bus? How wonderful it would be if I took every opportunity and told everyone I meet that Jesus loves them, died on the cross and bore their sins for them? It's incredible when you think about how many people you see on a daily basis, and the impact that you could have on their lives if you just quit procrastinating, and told them a little bit about your story. So, my challenge for this week is to tell people about Jesus, and quit procrastinating. Although I'm busy, and yes there are many other things I could be doing with my time, I'm going to witness to people and let them know where I stand and who it is that I have believed in and how He has changed my life forever. I'll keep you posted.

The Great Commission:
Matthew 28:18-20 NASB
"And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.'"

first blog - life is looking up (in more ways than one)

well, here i am, a brand new blogger. i'm not saying that i'm going to have anything extremely thought-provoking to say, or anything you'll want to take notice of, i'm just going to write down my thoughts, feelings, and happenings in my life that i want to share, and how when 'life hands you a lemon, you make lemonade'... it can be fun, it can be interesting, and it can be very educational. it's going to be an interesting journey, i hope you have at least a little bit of fun along the way.

first off, i finally found a job!! what makes this even more exciting is that it is in windsor, and i know the owners of the company, Cypher Systems, (they go to my church back home), and it is in the accounting department, which is something i've really been looking for. so, thanks in most part from the prayers of all i've talked to, God is working in my life, and guiding me in the direction He wishes me to go. i most definitely want to thank Him for all the love and care that He shows to His children, and for always looking out for me. my life is most definitely in His hands, and they are quite capable to handle it, i just have to continually remind myself to leave them there. He's much better at the details than i am.

anyways, that is my first blog. kinda short, but interesting nonetheless (at least, i seem to think so). there is definitely more to come.....