Bubble Note #66- Merry Christmas

My Christmas Gift to you this year... Is to promise to try and write more than 12 times a year. Christmas is here- or rather really close. I have had a countdown on my dorm door for the last 12 days- which means we are 1/2 way there! I apologize for the lack of emails, school eventually caught up with me. The past month and a half has been packed with EMR tests (all of which were passed, Praise God- I now have my EMR course certificate, and now just have to do my provincial exam which will happen next March), Explore projects (Newsletter, Website, Bible Studies etc), attending awesome yoga sessions, had one-on-ones with students and been fully blessed by others around me. This year, if I could had to choose one thing that I have learned, it would be the blessing that God has given me through others. If you have been reading these ramblings for a while, you know that I don't often stay in one place for very long- and as of now, I have lived in North America for the longest consecutive amount of time...since I was 9. An accomplishment! For any of you who are MK's, parents or MK's or future potential parents of MK's (or even just the average Joe), know that yes-- the passport country can become home and safe for your kid; it might just take some time. I am so thankful for my family, whether near or far (but  keep my African cohorts in your prayers, this won't be an easy time of year for them). And I'm also thankful for all those who are graciously opening their home to me this Christmas season. I will be spending my break in four different towns, three different states/provinces and two different countries. Please pray for safe travels, good fellowship and patience with everything that happens. My prayer for you (from Ephesians 3:14-21) For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.  Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

View email in your browser. | Unsubscribe karotopsrgreen.bubbles@blogger.com | Update your profile Forward to a friend | Artist's Profile You are receiving this email because you LOVE reading about Beth and what she is doing in life. And because anything to do with bubbles makes anyone happy. Beth Friesen Box 4872, Prairie Bible Institute Three Hills, Alberta T0M 2N0 Add us to your address book Copyright (C) 2011 Beth Friesen All rights reserved.

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Bubble Note #65

If you are looking for an excuse for why you haven't gotten an email for quite some time...well, I don't have one. I'm sorry. Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Friend on Facebook Smile Photography Fan Page Forward to a Friend Rafting in..October? I was responsible for teaching white water rafting to the 34 new Explore student this year (3 consecutive weeks in the river). As a result, I have become comfortable living in a wetsuit and October rivers. Cold, and yet laughter tends to keep the body warm.  Same same, but Different Michael Buble is singing right outside my office, as young college students rip up the floor with newly learned swing dancing moves. A tradition of Explore's, we have at least one swing night every semester. "Save the Last Dance for Me"--reminder that I am dancing with many things for the last time. As this is my final year as an intern with Explore at Prairie Bible Institute it means that this is the year I am 'blessed' with lots of responsibility and teaching opportunities. But it also means that next year (which I will spend on the Prairie Campus), will not hold the same yearly events that I have come to know and love so well. Rafting in the cold. Random Ultimate games. Uncontrollable laughter around the Bighorn dinner tables. Spontaneous trips into town for coffee and debriefing with dear friends. Photo-shoots in the colorful forests. And in general the closeness of the Explore community. Every chance I have to invest becomes bittersweet, as I attempt to pour myself into the details of life and realize at the same time that it may be the last time I have the chance to learn this way. Continue to pray with me that God will use me to grow myself and others towards His Kingdom. What's Next? Last I wrote you we had just arrived at Bighorn- well, we are about to leave! Explore is heading back up to Prairie for the rest of the semester this Sunday. While up there I will be beginning my EMT classes (with the pre-requisite of Emergency Medical Responder). Those classes take me until Christmas, at which I will be (Lord Willing), heading to Saskatoon to see my Canadian immediate family and then flying out to Maine to spend some time with Chris and co before returning back to Bighorn in January. I am greatly looking forward to having my own room for a while, peace is often craved for in this chaoticness  follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend  Copyright © 2011 Beth Friesen, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you LOVE reading about Beth and what she is doing in life. And because anything to do with bubbles makes anyone happy. Our mailing address is: Beth Friesen Box 4872, Prairie Bible Institute Three Hills, Alberta T0M 2N0 Add us to your address book  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences | view email in browser

Bubble Note #64

Distance, change and excitement. Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Friend on Facebook Follow on Twitter Forward to a Friend Change? Yes Please. You know how every good writing should have a good hooker? Well, if were playing Jepordy then the following options would help you find out the situation: (a) Oh my word, when did that happen! (b) Beth...and who? (c) Sooo how's that going to work? (d) An American eh? Situation: Yes, I have begun a relationship with someone. His name is Chris, is an American (from Maine), we have known each other for 3 years (as we went to Explore1 together years ago, both took a gap year and returned to the program last year) and decided over the summer to step into this new process with each other. So far it has been great- we are both learning more about each other as we strive to honour God and serve others in a partnership. We would appreciate any and all of your prayers as we embark on this adventure. As he is returning to Maine for a time we are doing multiple months long distance- I will be visiting him come Christmas. If anyone wants the extended story- email me and I'll give it too you ;) What's Next? We just returned from our first backpacking trip as White Team, and it was a blast! Plans are created to be deviated from right? Well, we did just that. Despite the fact that none of our plans went as we had antisipated, it was a great way for our team to bond, create friendships, address some conflict and move forward to becoming a team and greater unified Body. As of right now I am very busy planning our skills rotations. I will be the main instructor for our 3-day White Water Rafting rotation (4 sets of 3) to all of our freshman students. Although I've guided lots and instructed some, this process of planning and teaching can still be quite intidimating. I would appreciate your prayers as I step into these next couple weeks. Also, I wouldn't mind if we had warm and sunny weather ;) White Team at the beginning of our backpacking trip! The Ladies of White Team standing on snow-- in September. Not sure if this is "still?" or "Already?". The Texan and Californian in our group loved this- the Canadians weren't so fond.   follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend  Copyright © 2011 Beth Friesen, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you LOVE reading about Beth and what she is doing in life. And because anything to do with bubbles makes anyone happy. Our mailing address is: Beth Friesen Box 4872, Prairie Bible Institute Three Hills, Alberta T0M 2N0 Add us to your address book  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences | view email in browser

Bubble Note #63

Open doors, introductions and awkward smiles. Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Friend on Facebook Follow on Twitter Forward to a Friend Support Raising To be honest, I never know what to write in these sections. Asking for support is super intimidating- so I'll just be real. My costs for school are high this year with me taking EMR and not being able to work over the summers because of internship. If you and God are cool with helping me out, I would love that. But there are tons of people who are in desperate needs of funds, I'm not top on the list- please do what God and you feel best.  If you do decide to take that step, there are two places where funds can be given at. If you are American you can give on the Camp Bighorn site, click on 'summer staff' in the 'for' section and write my name in the notes. If you are Canadian you can send a check made out to Prairie Bible Institute to Beth Friesen, Prairie Bible Institute, Box 4872, Three Hills AB, T0M 2N0 Plan, Prep and Go! The school year has begun! After a wonderful mini-retreat of climbing and lake swimming, the interns and directors headed north to the triple Earth pimples to begin training and prep for our incoming freshmen. The training was good, and it was great to be able to form and get to know my fellow interns in a different context. Although many of us have been 'independent' for some while, when we were instructed to shop for our group on a budget- we all went into our adventure zones. Imagine four women, in the ice cream section, squealing over their extra budget money and trying to decide which flavour to choose. 15 minutes later and 5 elderly laughing men later (I guess they don't struggle with the ice cream decisions as much as we do) we left with our choice sugars. The week ended with a celebration 'ice cream set' on the train tracks (a tradition of Explore's- to have 'whatever' set's [watching the sunset] on the train track. Fruit sets, jam sets, ice cream sets etc). What a blessing to be able to share this year with some of my greatest friends and supporters. What's Next? Our freshman arrived a week ago and have been drenched in information and orientation. Explore numbers are much higher than they have ever been in the past. Previously we capped the program at 32 students (8/team), but as there was so much interest this year we bumped up the number to 36 (9/team + interns). This year I am a Sr. Intern, which means that I am in my 2nd year of internship and help co-lead a team with a jr. intern (1st year of internship- what I was last year). White is the colour of our team and Matt is my Jr. Intern. It has been great working alongside him and watching how our partnership works.  We will be heading down to Bighorn in 1 weeks after the freshman complete a modular Bible class on campus. They are all pretty pumped to start with the outdoor stuff and seem like a great bunch of students. I am jealous for your prayers as I will be teaching rafting as well as interacting with this group daily.  follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend  Copyright © 2011 Beth Friesen, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you LOVE reading about Beth and what she is doing in life. And because anything to do with bubbles makes anyone happy. Our mailing address is: Beth Friesen Box 4872, Prairie Bible Institute Three Hills, Alberta T0M 2N0 Add us to your address book  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences | view email in browser

Bubble Note #62

Beauty in Contentment Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Friend on Facebook Follow on Twitter Forward to a Friend Smile Photography I have also been doing quite a few photoshoots this summer. My desire is to create a large enough profile that others ask me to do shoots for them, and in that capacity generate donations in order to purchase my own camera. If this interests you or if you are simply curious about my work, check out my page at http://www.facebook.com/smileyourebeautifulphotography Summer Summary June, July and now August- the summer has come and gone. So much has happened I don't even know how to tell you all. I spent weeks in various parts of the USA and Canada- from Alberta to Montana, to BC to Washington and all back again. Short notice changes and flexibility was key. Some mornings I began to prepare for one thing and ended up doing something completely different. Rafting? Oh, now climbing? Facilitating? Oh, can you go to Creation (my answer was 'OH YES')? Chapel? Oh, we need another raft guide. Although this summer ended up very different than last summer, I know that God used each summer to bless and grow me in the areas that needed change.  In other news, my parents and Mike flew back a week ago to wonderful West Africa. They are adjusting well and have jumped full force into whatever comes their way. Mike has already completed a softball camp, been to birthday parties and Mum and Dad are flying around the city in public transportation. Pray for them as they house-hunt and try to settle in. What's Next? This next week the interns have training at Camp Bighorn before heading up to Alberta on Saturday and prepping for our incoming students. They arrive on August 20th- will spend 2 weeks completing a class at Prairie and then returning back to Bighorn to begin our fall semester here. Pray for good communication as our intern team is forming. It's an exciting time of year...contrary to most of society, I love school (at least, my school). Below are some examples of my photography from this last summer.  follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend  Copyright © 2011 Beth, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you LOVE reading about Beth and what she is doing in life. And because anything to do with bubbles makes anyone happy. Our mailing address is: Beth 111 Huntcroft Way NE Calgary, Alberta T2K 4E4 Add us to your address book  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences | view email in browser