May 1, 2016:

Today started pretty shakily. It started last night when I used my key on the outside of my door in my new apartment. I tried to lock it from the outside because the switch on the inside of the door was not working. I locked myself in my room. Haha. After turning the switch about fifty times, I used my screwdriver on the handle and removed it. After this, I was stuck. The other side of the door handle was hanging off. I suppose I could have forced the door open. I didn’t want to ruin the door. I texted my landlord. My new roommate, a really cool guy from Calgary realized I was stuck after a while and opened the door. Whatever. It was fun. Especially after I unloaded a full bladder! After this, my landlord and the roommate came with me to Ikea to return a desk I’d bought. We had a cool conversation. I think this is going to be a nice living environment as well. My landlord is very helpful. To be honest, I think she is being a bit too helpful. She doesn’t need to do what she is doing. After this, I went to Mass. I helped respond for the Rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. After Mass, I was so happy and encouraged when a couple of the other members of the choir came and asked me if I was going to come to the youth’s Confirmation to sing on Wednesday. I said I wouldn’t be able to. They all said they looked forward to seeing me on Saturday. It was a great encouragement because I didn’t feel I did too well yesterday singing. We can choose as people to encourage and build others up as opposed to criticising and tearing them down. I thank God for my church community and for my old church community every day. They are building and have helped me build a strong foundation of faith. When I posted that photo of myself on the EdgeWalk, people who I used to attend church with liked the photo. That made me feel really good. Walking to the bus a couple of mornings ago, a really kind man stopped me, offered me a flyer and asked if I believed in God. He is the pastor at a church around Tangiers and Finch. It’s funny because the church he worships at was the first one I tried to attend before I went on my first trip to Edmonton in 2012. At the time, I was struggling a lot and just knew that I wanted to develop a church community. Anyways, the pastor prayed for me and invited me to his church’s service on Saturdays. He was very nice and I appreciate his reaching out. He even offered to drive me. I really want to focus on developing the community I have now. Still, I want to acknowledge this pastor’s kindness in his reaching out.