Home on the Range!

I went home to VIRGINIA! For a week or so (IN JUNE, i have a lot to catch up on, i know!), and I did the following, and some:

I got to see some incredible people, including my OSS (operation shore storm) people (a youth rally i was part of in 2009, it changed OUR lives :D )
We got together and worshiped and prayed, and it was STINKING BEAUTIFUL! I am so thankful i got to see them all!



I went to the beach and enjoyed its beauty, more than i ever did while i was living there. We need to take all the joys of every place we are, or we will look back and regret not living it up more! I learned this too late, look at this beauty!? ahh!!!

Kari Jardine ( a friend i stinking adore!) and I went on a little walk down a driveway (yes, this is a driveway! haha) And got completely soaked. Good times. I love it. simply love it.

How many times do you see a frog like this? He is calm, even though a bug is like "let me eat your eye!" It taught me something. Not to sweat the small annoyances. Just close your eye lid and let the bug crawl over. :D haha


Us Girls got all Maskara face drawn up and scared my brother and cousin. It was beautiful bonding time really...



This horsefly is beautiful, it just sat there and let me snap a billion pictures, then it grew tired and decided to go home. hahaha

FAMILY--is beautiful. This is my Mom, Dad, Grandma, Sister and I :D

Pizza-was thicker than normal but perfectly memorible. It was my first time tossing pizza too :D my cousin knows how its done. haha

JELLY FISH--first time i ever picked one up. After the seven degree burns I recieved, i hobbled to the hospital and they replaced my hands with fake ones. ( Well that didnt exactly happen)


BEACH MUSIC in the morning. Brianna my cousin, and Linda my sister and I all went to the beach in the morning to praise God~! We sang, we danced, we fell to the ground and laughed. It was lovely. One morning we sang to some construction workers on our way home too. Ahhh good times.

So I took a trip home to Virginia! It was incredible. God is good.
I was blessed to see those I love so deeply, and see the hand of God in their lives. He is moving, though its hard times, he IS GOOD, FOREVER AND EVER! This folks is a brief update, I have more to come, of course! :D

Update on My Life!

www.wix.com/leahrenecanales/Kiwi-Me

Check it out!

Knives in Knapkins

Sarcasm. Its the most "comfortable" way for people in general to communicate. It seems on the outside like there is no actual danger in being candid and evasive. I mean, its all in Jest, right? Wrong. Allow me to give you a little narrative to explain what I think about sarcasm.

Once upon a time, two friends met for dinner as they had grown accustomed to doing each Friday afternoon. Mr. Leery Betrayed and Mr.Offensive Pride were their names. Though sometimes they had other friends join, such as Mrs. Alone Victim and Mrs. Constantly Cornered . Usually Mr. Leery, or Lee for short and Mr. Offensive or Offe for short, always met. The dinner would begin with a cautious hand shake, a tentative smile and a motioning to sit at the table for tea. A napkin sat near each one of the friends on their laps. Each man would make small remarks, kind for the most part, until one would gather his napkin up and lunge across the table with a knife protruding from its innocent white folds! "BAH! I HAVE YOU NOW!" He would scream, in a mincing and terrifying way. Then with laughter, the attacker would return to his seat and proclaim the action innocent and make light of the situation. While the victim would clasp his not so empty napkin and smile nervously. wondering when he should attach back, and prove he was not so much the victim. The near attacks where regular for such dinners. And though no visual blood was drawn. Not a moment of peace settled on either of the mens minds while in eachothers company. In their minds they would think things like, "is he about to attack right now? Should i prepare myself? will he actually stop or will he really slice me...will i die?" Now you can imagine that such thoughts would cause a major amount of riff between friends. So it continued until one day, Lee attacked Offe with such vigor that he sliced Offe on the cheek. Wide eyed and shocked, the two of them ended the dinner promptly and decided that it was all completely fine and jest, of course. However the next week, when Offe attacked Lee, he was shocked to find that Lee didn't venture to attack him back. A bit confused he asked, "Lee, why are you so solemn today? No fun left in your bones I see?" Lee looked down at his napkin and picked it up, against his better judgment, Offe flinched a bit. But was shocked to see that napkin unfold, with nothing inside. "Why Lee!" Offe exclaimed. "Where is your weapon? Why are you unarmed?" Lee set the napkin down and looked up with a tears brimming in his eyes. "I realize now" said Lee quietly, "That there is no joy in jesting this way, I dont want to continue threatening you, i dont want to hurt you." Offe laughed awkwardly, "H..hu..hurt me? Dont be crazy! This has always been pure fun, when has it ever hurt anyone?!" And that ended the conversation. However they both knew the truth. They had been hurting each other. They never had dinner together like this again. However they did have entirely different dinners, because neither brought weapons anymore, and their friendship, i am thrilled to report, became something of a strong friendship, rather than one full of defensiveness and uncertainty. One of trust and faithfulness, all because they put away the knives in their napkins.

Sarcasm causes you to be afraid of being hurt. And intern, you hurt others with your supposedly nonchalant words. Lets not be so afraid to come to dinner without knives. Lets drop the fake persona, and take a stand for a deeper way of speaking to one another. In a way that can be trusted.

I actually have a few friends who i never assumed i would be close to, because all we did was joke around sarcastically. But when i put my knife down, so did they. And our friendships grew so much stronger and real. I know it works, and i encourage you all to try it out! Its hard to be vulnerable. And say things with pure intent, because you will get scratched. But lets not be afraid of that, its better than a fake friendship, full of pride and insecurity! TRUE FRIENDS ARE WORTH EMPTY NAPKINS.

WELL HELLO!

Its been a few months, the more i realize how much i have not documented here, the more i see how much i need to get started! Here is a SUPER fast update to where I am NOW. I'll tell you about the past, later...or will i? haha! I am in a season of rest after a wild intense season that we just passed through, conferences and the like have been wild, but so have the revelations! God is SO MIGHTY! AHH! I am hoping to go into more detail as to what I am actually learning, instead of just what I am up to, because Im up to TONS....here is a few updates:

1.) Nashville is flooded right now, i want to take a boat out and go float around the stadium. haha. Its a blessing that we just had a few leaks and soaked carpet. We are blessed indeed. Just down the road a street or two over is totally flooded. Its wild!

2.) I have officially posted a painting website! And I am believing that God is going to provide for my rent and food through it! I am believing in $10,000 dollars coming in, call me crazy, but God is bigger than my dreams, this I know! I wont allow myself to worry over finances, though I will do my best to be faithful in what I can, I know God is big enough. :D
CHECK IT OUT!: www.wix.com/leahrenecanales/Kiwi-Me


3.) My brother and sister got in a car accident, but are totally fine, however it shook up my world and reminded me how important it is to speak. To tell people you love them, to tell them the truth, to not shrink back in fear, time is too short to count on it being there tomorrow! No more wasting life!

That is my super fast crazy update! I hope you all can forgive my lax of communication! I am actually going to be able to catch up more now! I love you all!

Random Trip to Primm Springs!

So it was a beautiful adventure that took place for me last Sunday! Ben-John called me a few days before Sunday, (Ben-John is like a big brother of mine, he is a really Godly and awesome guy.) And asked if i would like to go to Primm Springs for
a church service at the magazine that i used to work out in 2007. I was feeling homesick and lonely for family, so going to see them was the best thing ever!! It was a beautiful time! I am so thankful!!!! The entire service was about abortion and praying against it!



John driving with Ben-John in the passenger seat!



Zach and I in the back seat on the way to Primm Springs for Sunday Church at the Campbells!



This is the Campbells downstairs room they have church in, I love it! The children prayed (as they do every sunday) and this sunday they prayed against abortion! it was POWERFUL!




Fred and Sharon Chunn are such a sweet influence on my life, they run a prison ministry. Its beautiful!



Breeze Amber is four months old, i saw her when she was 5 days old, its crazy to see how much she has grown. she was SO tiny 4 months ago!


Emily Rowland happened to be there and I was surprised to see she was still there after 5 months!!! She was there volunteering at above rubies with me in 2007!


Here is the sneaky sky as we traveled home to Nashville. Ever so gradually, the air thickened with the congested city as we drew closer.

Theme song of the year

I'll drag you through the battle field. Ok? :D

INTERCESSION! IS INTENSE.

(Check out "more than you'll ever know" on my song play list, it goes to this post :D you can read this while you listen to it, fun aye?)



The picture above is of Courtney and I, we had just had a deep revelation of what it means to pray for our family and friends. It means you are literally battling with them. So you cant just start praying for someone and figure you'll be ok. We need to realize that you dont casually walk into a battle field, say nice things and walk out. No, your army crawling and rolling, and crying and snotting and screaming when you touch a random body on the ground. Its ugly and intense sometimes. Thats why we need full armor, and full awareness of the situation we are headed into. Courtney and I were doing some battle for the same person, through prayer. And we both realized we were feeling drained and couldnt finger point it. Its not that you can always avoid feeling the pain of those you pray intensely for, but in realizing that it was backlash from prayer, we were able to pray for endurance for eachother, and strengthen eachother. No more going into battle un-prepared. Pray is SO DIASSENTIAL! SO POWERFUL. I have only BEGUN to dive deeper into this place of strengthening one another through prayer.

So put on your armor, fling your brother/sister over your shoulder and start pulling! Work out your abs today, to have more endurance tomorrow. This. is a lesson I am learning, in February 2010.

Snow Day :D

This video was BEFORE worship and the snow ball fight:::



And this is in the beginning, ish, of the epic battle of hard balls of frozen water that decievingly look like cotton. So not cotton.



OH wow, i love snow...
So after friday night worship, we all went outside and hit eachother with snow balls...out of love. :D It was pretty fun, we had some neighbor kids come and play for a bit too. it was like 10:30/11pm! The super excited people that were left over ended up going around the neighborhood until we found a tall hill to slide down with cardboard boxes! It was a blast :D 4 inches of snow can bring a heap of fun, lemme tell ya. :D




















A rather nifty night I must say.

Oh Tuesday, is everything double today?

Tuesday! Mondays we are on brake, so our week begins Tuesday, I cant say Im every upset that tuesday has arrived, its always got some sense of adventure attatched to its name. I mean, if the goodness is in TWOS (get it, tues, twos...) then it has to be great eh?!

Its a rather dark and chilly morning this tuesday, but Its all the better for getting my brain up and awake!



There is something happening the more i do this...time begins to fly faster and faster like when you pull your legs in on a tire swing, and you start picking up speed instantly. There isnt enough time in the morning anymore, it just flys past like burry dizzy images...



Somehow this reminds me of planet of the apes. Somehow we caught some shifty figures lurking in the shadows....of a blurred camera lense that is...





here Kassi (who just joined us in working out!) Kristen and i are doing improve workout....where we make stuff up for a picture for two seconds then get back to our fast walk. haha


Here is Dia and I before we begin our Tuesday TEST. yikes is right. we have to memorize a verse a day, and then tuesday we write them down by memory. I like it a lot! It is awesome to have Gods word in your mind, and to be reminded to get it in there through this kind of accountability!


test time...


Pastor Scott and Pastor Sarah got back today! And they told us about Brazil and the amazing things that happened there! They got to spend time with Benjamin Moses the 5 year old boy they have been trying to adopt sense he was 6 months. And we are all hopeful that they will get him very soon!


Courtney and i in the second harvest truck. I also help with inventory and we go get food from the food drop, load it up and get it back home. Its a good workout sometimes, I enjoy it, Courtney and I always have great convo during the whole ordeal. You know something? thats what so cool about having brothers and sisters that love jesus soo much...you can have SUUUCH in depth convertation and learn and sharpen eachother, any old time of any given day! :D



we got home and did some more work learning about excel. And it was good.


this my friends, is, well courtney and leah in everyday life. haha


Time to rest for a bit. ITS SO IMPORTANT, to rest and make time to do it. this is something i am learning about daily.


we have begun this 12 week series on tuesday nights led by Dawn and Phil, they are amazing and are taking us through the entire bible and how its organized and what is where and history and..i CANT WAIT! This is the first introductionary night!


Here I am cutting Todds hair, its the first time i have cut any guys hair before, and uh...well i kinda messed up a bit. HOWEVER...i dont make the same mistake twice. so thats...good. haha. He is like a dad to us, and it was pretty cool of him to let us practice on his head! I paused and my eyes widened when I did a bit of a mistake and he said "its only hair, it'll grow back" and I swallowed and said "yeah, but you havent seen it yet..." hahaha he has been wearing a hat ever sense...I uh...hear its because its cold outside? um...haha


Then its time to read a bit, I am reading the confessions of st. Augustine, we have to read a book a month and its crazy finding time. But there is time, its just wisdom to use it that i need to pin down.



So there you have it folks! one full and i mean FULL week interning at provision international! I havent the time or energy to document in such detail for the duration of my internship. But I wanted to give you a taste of week to week life, i will continue updating with thoughts and random adventures though. And I am thankful for each and every one of you! YOU ALL CAN COMMENT BENEATH THIS THINGS BTW! I dont need it, but i wanted to let you know that its an option! :D

My love to you darling world changing people in my life.

--Leah Rene' Canales

p.s I am currently creating a blog for the general public that is less personal and more about things I am learning and desire the world to know! I will let you know when its ready for its debute!

Lovely Monday...sorta like Sunday...

MONDAY...I hardly took any pictures...as the events i did we're rather much, not events! Monday is our day off... So I took it off, and took very few pictures...more like, one. And a video!

I woke a bit later than usual, like 9:00am, and went and spent some time with the Jesus!



Then I got some time with family, on the phone. And also managed to catch up on all emails. Now It is getting late and tomorrow begins the last all day photo journal. And I must be ready for what it has in store for me, so with that, I am going to sleep.

Its so bright it must be SUNDAY....hahaha OI.

So Sunday! Its Kassis birthday! So we have a rather different sunday in mind...one of celebrating our 24 year old sister, who we all love dearly...and this is how we did it...

At church it all begins at 9:30 with intercession, we pray for what we feel God has put on our hearts, and for God to move in mighty ways. For healing and for strength. We pray for individuals and the church as a whole. Its so necessary, and so beautiful. GOD JOLLY LOVES TO HEAR OUR PRAYERS AND GET THIS, "ANSWER THEM!"



Kassi the Birthday girl on the Bass!



we worship Jesus!




We normally have things set up differently, in rows not tables. But this sunday was special and different. However the people jumping and dancing and just praising Jesus, thats normal :D




For church we wrote Letters to God. Marco and Natalie are the leaders beneath Pastor Scott and his wife Sarah. And they are the ones that told us about writing letters to God, making requests and committments and then reading the letter a year or two later after the fact. Its cool to hear stories of families being saved and dreams coming true, from handing them to God in a letter and trusting in faith that He will bring said things to pass. :D sweet.



This folks, is a cool table of ppl, eating food together...and simply savoring the company of one anotherness. :D tis good.




This is the face you make, when you have eaten at Chili's--- and decide to make a strange face for a picture. haa.




Here we are waiting for everyone to show up so we can play at the park...haha yeah....

This is the park! We decided to surprise Kassi and go play at the park with her, this was an amazing park...makes me glad Im a kid! I am pleased to say that all the people you see in this picture are there for Kassi's birthday, and it was a treate, we arent too old to fool around at the park! never!



How long has it been sense i climbed around on a jungle Gym you ask? TOO LONG. (maybe like. a week...)





We are infact, sitting on a massive dragon made out of this cool mosaic stuff. yes..its full out cool...




The clouds looked a bit like a dragon, though its hard to see here. Interesting...we just left dragon park you know...

Then we went to Cafe' Coco which made Kassi super happy, this is me and the birthday girl. we packed the place out! We had a pretty big group of us for sure :D
I just drank water, as that is my traditional drink of choice. haha

Getting in my car after Cafe' Coco. I was a bit afraid i might catch my skirt in the wheels while pitter pattering home. But no worries. I had no fatal plastic cracking situations. all was well. :D with me and my darling car...haha




Music practice with Charla (behind me) because she is having her CD released this coming saturday! So she wanted me to play drums, violin, and sing...non of which i do to incredibly well, but all of which i am improving on! haha :D




We gathered in the devo room for eating cake and watching "cloudy with a chance of meatballs" to top off the night, and can i just say, that movie...so great. :D I laughed like...hard enough to spit out my food if i had been eating it while laughing...

This my friends was SUnday! normally i dont go out to eat, I like to save my money and eat at home and just relax and catch up on things, however this was a special day and I do believe it will go down in history. Now that its all documented and such. It was a day of spiritual warfair and liberating victory. A day of planning and praying, playing and laughing. It was a full day indeed. And I feel blessed to know each and every person I spent it with. :D