It's (always) a beautiful day in the neighbourhood (part 1)

Enjoying my first spring/summer in the city includes discovering and enjoying the things that I love about my downtown neighbourhood. For some, this it is considered a 'rough' area of town, definitely sentenced to a bad reputation, but I uncover new things everyday that I love about this community, and become more and more convinced that I would like to stay in this area for a very long time. Let me share with you some of the top reasons I love the West Broadway and Wolseley are of Winnipeg.

Reason #1: Cafe's and Bakery's

This community is packed full of precious and irresistible holes-in-the-wall to pick up the best bread, baking and latte's in Winnipeg! My favourite, for more than one reason, not the least of which being that it is two blocks from my front door, is Stella's Bakery. Either sitting on historic church pews and vintage sewing-machine stools inside, or on wooden benches at bistro tables on the sidewalk, this is the perfect place to speak deeply with a friend, find inspiration for writing, or have the best seat to people-watching. I have to admit and take some responsibility for getting many other people addicted to this spot as well.

Reason #2: Trees
The streets lined with well-aged oak and elm trees make canopy's of foliage like big green umbrellas. Looking out my bedroom window puts me eye-level with dense leafy branches, and it's all I can see up and down the street for blocks. This is a neighbourhood that passionately fights for any and all the "green causes" with gusto, greatly influenced by their surroundings and making it a breathtaking place to live.

Reason #3: Gardens and Compost
Speaking of things green, recycling and composting are causes highly championed in this area, with community gardens and composting places every couple of blocks, transforming empty lots into beautiful, life-giving spaces. This is the one on our block:

 

       Vintage chairs and rocking horses invite the community to congregate and enjoy this little garden together, and encourage the whole family to get involved.

More reasons and pictures to come!

Snakes, Snakes, & more Snakes

Caitlin getting her Converse ready for the day. Graeme already ready.

This was a day filled with 'firsts' for me. It began with a Breakfast of Champions prepared by Caitlin and I, to which the boys happily arrived at 9:30am to help consume before we took a bit of a road trip to Narcisse Snake Dens.

Armed with camera bags, iPhone directions, and a large cooler bag filled with snacks and a picnic lunch, we were pumped for this adventure. Well, I was a bit unsure. From what I had heard, we were heading to a place with the largest populations of snakes in one place in the whole world. Thankfully, they are just red-sided garter snakes, but still I did not know how I would do when actually faced with them within touching distance. To break the ice, the first snake we found was a very tiny one on the path and I held my first snake. Not the best, but not the worst experience either, and I did not freak out.  Traveling along the pathways to the different snake dens, it was incredible to see so many snakes all in one place. I took my first pictures of snakes as well.

First snake picture

Joe very pumped about the little guy on his arm.

Try to count these guys!

At the final snake den, we were surprised to see two men down on the ground level in a den with the snakes with camera gear galore! From listening in to the conversations, we found out that they were actually from the Discovery Channel's Planet Earth team, and shooting for an upcoming 2012 feature including these snakes. That was really exciting, and my first encounter with a real life, really cool film crew.

Discovery Channel

Angry lady

Capping off the time at Narcisse with our prepared picnic lunch, we headed back into the city. Fabulous.

Graeme resting from all the excitement.

"Manitoba on the Cheap" Summer: The Adventure Begins

For the first time as an adult, I will be spending most of my summer in the city. Though I will miss living on a wilderness island, I am excited for the opportunity to explore and enjoy my home town and province. Alongside some good friends, we have created a list and schedule for what we are calling, "Manitoba on the Cheap"....our summer of exploring for as cheap as possible.

We had our kick-off event two weeks ago with a trip to the zoo. At a pricey $5 for admission, we justified our spending by saying we wanted to go big for our first day of the "Manitoba on the Cheap" adventure. Hours of taking pictures and starring at big cats culminated with a BBQ at Caitlin's house and a game of Clue. What seemed reminiscent of a ten year old's birthday party agenda, it was a fabulous way to kick off the summer. Many adventures and laughs to come!

Caitlin and Joe snapping pics, Graeme and Tiffany observing.

Entry 5: Picture(s) that makes you Laugh

 Unable to choose only 1 picture to share that makes me laugh, I decided to narrow it down to 1 location that holds a plethera of funny memories for me: CAMP! Having spent 5 summers on a wilderness island in Northwestern Ontario, first as a staff/cabin leader, and then as a full-time director, I have anthologies worth of pictures and stories of the things we got into. Though I was not usually the instigator of the funny events, I was definitely around to laugh to the point of losing my voice. Here is a tiny sampling of some of the pictures that make me remember and laugh over and over again.

 

One of this past summer's highlights was filming and photographing the "Espresso Bomb" documentary. This picture was during a warm afternoon of "espresso competitions," that included playgrounds, large boats, Russian accents and our "sunday  best" outfits.

August 2007. The first summer starting as a Director at camp, I got to work with an incredible female leadership team to run the "Cash Island Girls Camps." Before this opportunity, I did not really know any of these women but a remote wilderness island, with only girls, makes people go a little crazy and really show their true selves. This was our "Directors Picture" at the end of the camp session.

After spending a couple of weeks directing the "Cash Island Camps," in 2007 where we began to know each other, I learned that Caitlin really liked hip-waders. Perhaps because they are so stinkin' cute and fashionable, but she was always the very first person to volunteer for any job, no matter how disgusting, as long as hip-waders were involved. This is one of the qualities that made me want to be best friends with her. We are never without adventure or a reason to laugh.

I am not at liberty to say what we were up to, what the situation was that we were by the lagoon, or why Caitlin needed to be in giant hip-waders, but it was definitely necessary, and definitely memorable.

 

Here is another set of pictures that are difficult to find words to describe; I just shake my head now and laugh. There was lots of cardboard, epic music, warriors and spectators. This was also one of the first things that helped Graeme and I become friends, as he was the inventor of both of our costumes/armor, which he proceeded to destroy in the course of the battle, almost taking my arm off with "Bang-ga-lore." I came out of it with all my limbs, thankfully, but a giant bruise that eventually took over most of my arm.

 

Besides the obvious enthusiasm in this picture, this captures one of the many times throughout the past three summers that Caitlin and I retreated to my office on time off to release some stress and over-tired energy by making crazy videos. Again, I am not at liberty to say what all happened, but these moments usually ended with me straining my vocal chords from laughing so much. 

The Joy of Baby-sitting

A great evening was spent baby-sitting Zoe, the little girl of the family I live with, and we decided to make some videos to show mom and dad when they got home.

Chocolate Pudding vs. ABC's from Janelle Stevens on Vimeo.

Dental Hygiene Theme Song from Janelle Stevens on Vimeo.

Exciting Luke18 Spring Update Newsletter!!

Hello Everyone!


Here is the link to the latest update about Luke18 Project in Winnipeg. There is much going on and to give God glory for! As God continues to move on college campuses, we will continue to meet through the end of the semester in April, and then excitedly look forward to training opportunities in the summer and the potential of planting more prayer furnaces in the fall. Please read and prayerfully consider prayer and financial support. There is great need for support in all areas for the continence of this ministry as we partner with God in this way on university campuses.

Blessings, and enjoy
(There are a lot of pictures!)

Spring 2011 Newsletter

Great Joy in Weakness - Sermon

 There have been many opportunities in the past months to teach and preach, mostly at the Elmwood MB Church in Winnipeg where I grew up. Here is a link to the most recent sermon from the series of "The Joy of the Lord." It is on the joy found in weakness, and the gift of fasting to our lives.

Great Joy in Weakness

I will be preaching again this Sunday at Elmwood and look forward to sharing from the passage of John 15. Maybe I will post that sermon on here as well.