Looking Back

And just like that, it's been TWO YEARS! Last time you saw me around here, I was heading into grade 11 (just a baby!), and now here I am heading into my first year of university. It's hard to believe, and yet, I can happily and entirely say that I am ready for the next adventure. Though I have my doubts about what I'll be able to achieve now that I'm entering "the real world", I am excited for new challenges and a change of pace, as well as pretty much everything else about my life! For example, I'm going from small town girl to living in the big city, a school of a few hundred, to a school of thousands (not to mention the fact that my school was K-12 and one building, and now the university I'll be attending has three campuses...), just to name a few. However, despite these somewhat drastic changes, I know it's all apart of life, and that this is only the beginning of the rest of the chapters of my life.

I'm writing this post because I wanted to document my high school experience and what I think I'll need to hear when I'm in university so that I'll have it to look back on and to reflect on, later. So, here it goes.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to complain, or to say that high school was terrible, because I'm not. But, to be entirely honest, it wasn't always easy. The danger of going to such a small school is that it can be harder to be different. I felt I had trouble fitting in as a nerdy orchestra kid (which, by the way, I don't believe there is anything wrong with). I felt bad when I had to tell friends I had to practice rather than hang out, and felt that no one at my school quite understood what music meant to me and why I was so committed to it. I'd sometimes get poked fun at (all in love, probably) for practicing so much, and questioned for why I had to practice each day and for so long. It was tricky to be patient with these comments, and I felt I could never make anyone understand my passion. I questioned my choices in focusing so much on academics and music, when so many were playing sports and making friends in school, whereas I had friends I only saw once a week at orchestra rehearsal. I questioned why my passion was so different than the rest. Why I would choose something to pursue that was sometimes looked down upon. Deep down though, I knew, that my passion for music was different than another teenager's passion. I secretly loved that I crushed on composers and pieces of music rather than a boy from a subject in school. I secretly loved that I got to go home and make music and feel emotions rather than go home and sit on my phone for hours on end. The truth is, I loved my musical life, but sometimes felt ashamed when people pointed out that it took away from the normality of a high school student's life.

I felt embarrassed to share my grades. I felt bad to be a nerd. To be someone who would rather stay home and study for the test tomorrow than throw away those cares and go out and socialize. I felt like an oddball because I loved to read rather than play video games. I felt weird when people asked me for help in school because I was afraid that they would think that I thought I was better than them. I'd get so nervous to receive grades because I was scared that one day I wouldn't measure up to my own standards. I wanted to fit in so bad and yet I didn't feel right going against my perfectionist ways.

So, in conclusion, yes I am relieved that high school is over. Will I miss it? Yes and no. I will not miss all the worries and embarrassments I've already shared, but I will miss the familiarity of knowing what each day looked like, that I already knew everyone I'd meet in a day, that I didn't have to worry about making money to pay for school and essentials. I can sympathize with kids and teens who struggle with school, but I can also encourage them to continue being unique and sticking to being themselves. In saying that, I can encourage myself to pursue my uniqueness during the rest of my forever. I can say to myself: you are enough, and there is always Someone who loves you for you, and that is all that matters. I challenge myself to remember this as I go on in life.

Now, on a more fun note, I wanted to share some of my graduation photos! They hold such bittersweet memories that I'll cherish, and so much promise of a future to come.

Thanks for reading!

Love,
Claire

An Overview of Summer 2016

It's August 31... how did that happen?! It seems like just yesterday I was jumping up and down after writing my last final! And though I am very excited to go back to school and dive into a flurry of activities (no sarcasm), I really am sad that summer vacation has come to a close. So, as a little something for me to look back on, I've decided to dedicate this blog post to summer 2016 and all the things I did. Here it goes...

1. I went to work as a junior counsellor at a Bible camp about 30-45 minutes away from where I live. I worked for two weeks in July, though I wish I'd applied for more! (Maybe next summer...) I had a blast hanging out with the campers and leading them through a week of activities, worship, and growth. (Hopefully they did too)!


Here are most of the other junior counsellors I worked with this summer!

2. I went hiking with my mom while on an overnight trip at a nearby campground/lakeside community.



3. I hung out at a lake with my family for my parents 25th wedding anniversary!


My sister and I had so much fun paddle boarding and paddle boating around the lake together!

4. I went fishing with my grandpa several times!



Just me being a goofball while trying to catch just one more fish before we hit the dock!



Though it may be a poor quality photo, I assure you that there was quality time involved in the process of catching these bad boys! (Fun fact: Even though we were only allowed to take 8 fish home, we actually caught 20 fish this time! And we caught 30 the next time we went out fishing! #catchandrelease)



5. Hung out with my family



Here's a picture of my sister (left), my mom (middle), and me (right) after having a fun girls day going to a few of our favourite places around the city!

...

And of course there were other cool things I did this summer, but these five main things pretty much sum(mer) it up. (Haha I thought I was being clever...) Unless of course, you count practicing, which I did a lot of this summer! I'm super excited for another year of learning and playing, and am also ecstatic about several big projects I've got coming up this year, too. (Music things, of course...) I hope everyone had a super awesome summer and has an amazing year back at whatever it is you do.



Claire

A Little Shameless Self Promo...

Hey everyone! So, recently (as in just over two weeks ago) I gave my very first solo violin recital! It was a blast! I had so much fun playing (and even singing a little, too), and was really happy with how things went. Just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who came out to watch and has helped me along the way! I'll insert one of my favourite photos down below. But first, I'm going to do a little shameless self promo here - go visit my YouTube channel! That's right! If you weren't able to be there, I've posted two of my performances (the Bruch Violin Concerto movements 1 & 2, and one of my favourite vocal songs from this year, Nina), PLUS a complete audio recording of the entire recital, which includes both violin and vocal pieces! Here's the link (please note that you'll have to copy and paste it into your search bar)!:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCExxqUxELDeYPhEKdKRrgdg

Thank you and enjoy!

2016 New Years Resolutions?

Oops. The last time I posted was last year, guys. (Although, really, it was only a few months ago... so I guess that's okay)? Anyways, hello! I'm back and ready for a fresh start in 2016.

Speaking of fresh starts, why do we make new years resolutions? Is it because we want to be prettier, or better, or more like someone else? That's mostly what we think of when we think of resolutions. The classic "start working out", or "eat healthier". Yeah, those are both great things for your body, but the Bible says that our body is a temple for the Lord. So, if it's God's temple, do you think He'll really care about what your body looks like or what you eat? Probably not! (Btw, I am in no way trying to discourage people from or trying to put people down for healthy living. You do you)! But what I mean is, are you focusing more on you and less on God? After my baptism a few months ago (scroll down to see the post and my testimony!), I realized I wasn't trying hard enough to care for my relationship with God. I was too focused on what I thought about myself and my body - not really caring what God wanted me to do and think. That's what I'm trying to write about - I want to challenge you (and me) to put more effort into our relationships, daily actions, thoughts, and words to make them more Christ-like. It's incredibly hard! (But also totally worthwhile! I mean, who doesn't want to be as Christ-like as they can?!) So, to kick off this "resolution", I'm going to start by making a list of things I can do to achieve this lifelong goal. (And I challenge YOU to do the same)!

1. Think before I speak. I know, I know. Sooo cliche. But it's so true! Lot's of times I'll think back about my day and cringe at what I said or did, because let's be real - I'm totally imperfect and flawed. Plus, lots of things I think are totally fine offends others. (The biggest one for me is being careful with how much sarcasm I use)!

2. Read my Bible. Now, I'll admit, I am getting pretty good at this one. After years of only reading it when I felt like it, I've finally got the hang of it. The key for me is routine. For me, I like to read at least a chapter a night before I do my devotions and say my prayers. It fits in with the rest of my routine, and altogether with my devos and praying, it only takes between 15 and 30 minutes (although, more is always okay)! See? Simple! I also find it helps if I doodle and write my thoughts beside the passages, plus, looking back at all my notes makes me smile and remember what it was that passage spoke to me about.

3. Be kinder. This one goes hand in hand with the first one, but it's a little more general. Whether with words, thoughts, or actions, I want to show people I genuinely care about them, even if I don't know them that well or even at all.

4. Focus less on me. If I'm speaking honestly, I'm kind of a brat. Do I ever think about others? Yes, of course. But who occupies my thoughts the most? Probably mostly me, then others, then God. Uh oh. I think there's something wrong with that list. I think I meant to say God, then others, then me? Nope. I spend so much time on myself. (Hence my label for myself - brat). So this year, (and all years) I want to focus more on God and those around me. I need to stop thinking about doing my hair or acing my homework assignment and more on the everlasting things. Because good hair days and a 100% test score definitely aren't going to get me a yes from God's throne. Again, hair and school are not bad things, they just shouldn't be my focus. I know what you're thinking. Hair? School? Yeah. I'm a little odd... But we'll save that for a separate post. Maybe. Anyways, enough of this deep stuff. I hope you had an wonderful holiday and that you know you are beautiful and loved. So very much.

Love,
Claire

Alpine Trip 2k15

Hey guys! It's about time for an update! So, summer has come to a close and school starts back up again tomorrow... yippee! Although I'm super excited to get back to school and work (no, that is not sarcasm), I have to admit, I am a little sad that summer has come to a close, because I think this was the best one yet! First off, for 3 weeks in July I worked at a Bible camp I've attended ever since I was little. Then at the beginning of August, I worked at a day camp for that same Bible camp, which was again, SUPER fun! (I worked with several of my friends from my 3 weeks at camp). And then, I just got back less than 48 hours ago from my latest adventure. Each year, the class that is going into a certain grade drives to the mountains and hikes to a little hut, and then continues to hike up the mountains surrounding the hut for a total of 2 days, and then we all hike back down the mountain and drive back home. The trip lasts a total of 5 days and is always a blast! Here's a quick outline of what the trip looked like (just in case you're curious!)

Day 1 (Tuesday) - We met at the school and packed up our stuff and then we all drove down to the mountains! We stayed in a hotel in a city just over an hour away from the trails we were going to hike. Once we got to the hotel, we all got set up in the hotel room for the night and then put on our swimsuits and then headed down to the hotel pool. Our whole class waterslided for about an hour or two and then we hung out together in the lounge downstairs and played games. Our teacher who came with us on the trip told us we'd better not go to bed too late as we've got a big day tomorrow. (Did we ever!)

Day 2 (Wednesday) - We drove the remainder of the way to the trails and then explored a little before hitting the trails. Then we put on our HUGE packs and started the looong climb. Climbing up to the hut took the whole class about 4 hours. Then when we got to the hut we all but on comfy, clean clothes and hung out and played games together. We were all pretty tired, and a little sore, but we were super pumped for the following days.

Day 3 (Thursday) - We woke up at around 8-9ish and had breakfast together. Then we all grabbed our smaller, and MUCH lighter day packs, laced up our hiking boots, and headed outside to meet our guides. We then split up into smaller groups and headed off! We hiked for around two (?) hours to a small lake where we all had lunch together. Then we hiked all the way back. We changed into clean clothes and then some of us decided to do what we like to call "The River Challenge". Right by our hut runs this little river, and it's FREEZING cold. We walked through it, lay in it, and I even washed my hair in it! Then we all got into warmer clothes and played card games together until supper time. Then we all chilled together until it was time for bed.

Day 4 (Friday) - We woke up at around the same time as the previous day and our morning looked pretty much the same. Except, this time, we hiked up to a glacier (about 2 hours again), which unfortunately we couldn't climb because it wasn't warm enough so it was super slippery! We had lunch together and then most of the group headed back to the hut. 5 of us kids and 5 adults (including one of the guides) decided to climb up to the top of this ridge that overlooks everything and is only about 2 feet wide! It was raining a little bit and was super risky, but we decided we were up for it! I'm so glad I decided to go up! It was so beautiful and was really fun to be with a smaller group and make some memories. (And take some pictures of course!) Then we hiked back to the hut. When we got back, a few of us decided to do another shorter hike that only took about 2 hours total, (vs. the regular 4 hour day hikes) to several lakes. They were super pretty and we made some pretty hilarious memories! After slipping and sliding our way back, we had a nice hot supper and hung out together again until bedtime. We all packed up our big packs again, as we were leaving the next day.

Day 5 (Saturday) - We woke up, had breakfast, and put on our big packs again. Then we took a different route down to the bottom of the mountain. When we got to the bottom, we all changed into clean clothes and had some snacks (of course). Then we all hopped back into our vehicles and drove the long drive back home (stopping a few times for meals, snacks, gas, and bathroom breaks). We got home pretty late (11:30ish), and we were all pretty tired, but pretty wired to have just been on such an awesome trip!

In summary, our class sure had a lot of fun together and made lots of awesome memories! I'm sad it's all over, but it was a great way to end the summer! Now, enough stories! Here are a few pictures...

This was the gorgeous sunset that occurred during our drive home - the perfect ending to the perfect trip!

In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit...

Hi everyone! Although it's a little bit late, I just wanted to share a few pictures and little bit about something really exciting that's been taking place in my life for the past month or two. This past Sunday (May 3rd), at my home church, I got baptized! I've been attending baptism classes every Wednesday afternoon for about a month, and let me tell you, it was so fun! Baptism has definitely been the highlight of my whole life so far, so I thought it might be nice to share a little bit about my experience and my journey of faith with you all. Here goes...


I was born into a Christian home and I attended church and Sunday school regularly. My parents taught me and my older sister, Emma, about Jesus, and one night when I was about five years old, I asked Jesus into my heart. Growing up in the small town where I live was pretty easy, I guess you could say. Most of my friends were the people who I not only attended school with, but also church and Sunday school. Some people would say this was a blessing (and it was), but I'd say it was also a challenge. It made having faith so much easier, which in my case means that I didn't really grow in my faith until I actually realized I was in a rut. My faith was just something I took for granted.

Something I've always struggled with is the concept of perfection. I guess you could say I've always been a "good girl". I got good grades, I went to church, and I tried my best to be kind to others. But I constantly worried (and still do worry) about being perfect. If my grades weren't at a certain point, I'd feel like a failure. And it didn't just go as far as school work. The concept of perfection was everywhere, even in my music life. I remember being at a violin recital and having a mini meltdown right before I was about to go on stage. I panicked that I wouldn't remember all the notes and I'd mess up. My mom said "it's not the end of the world if you mess up." And I replied, "yes it is." I was constantly trying not to mess up, when one day I realized; my goal in life shouldn't be to be perfect, it should be to be Christ-like.

Jesus was definitely not the center of my life, but He was there when I needed Him. Sure I prayed every day and night, but soon enough it just turned into the same prayer consisting of thanks for this day, thanks for my family, thanks for safe travels, and help me to have a good nights sleep. Something I started about a year or two ago that has definitely helped me grow in my faith was a prayer list. I didn't necessarily have to have a visual list, just a mental one. Each night, I'd try to think of some friends who needed praying for - maybe they'd moved away, maybe they were struggling, or maybe I just wanted to tell God just how much I loved them. I'd make sure to pray for them in whatever God was doing in their lives and thank Him for putting them in my life. This is something I still do today, and I must say, when I meet up with those people face to face, they usually seem to be doing pretty good.

Back in October of this past year (2014) there was a car accident involving some of the students from Bethany Bible College - the college that my older sister attended. Luckily, my sister wasn't in that vehicle. There were only two very seriously injured students, one more than the other. My sister's roommate was the more seriously injured. She was in a coma for about 3 months. I was always scared of going in to visit her during that time because we didn't know if she'd wake up. I was afraid of what God was going to do in her life. Finally one day while she was still unconscious, I went in to see her. And now, less than a year later, she's already learned how to walk and talk again, and she's still getting better each day. Now I'd say that this is proof that God still works miracles.

My favorite Bible verse is Isaiah 41:10. "Do not fear for I am with you. Do not be afraid for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand." This verse has helped me through the dark valleys in my life, and will keep helping me for the rest of my life.

I chose to get baptized because I felt that the timing was right, and that in my heart, I wanted to get closer to God by taking this next step in my faith. I just want to say, if you're thinking of being baptized, make sure you're doing it for you. Not because your friends are doing it. You need to be the one who wants to take the step. I guess you could say, you do you. When our pastor announced that he'd be teaching baptism classes again, I got a feeling that I was supposed to do it. I'd been wanting to get baptized for a while, and I just knew that now was the time. I talked to him after the service and it was set. I didn't know who else was joining in on the class, and I was glad for that. Because that meant that I was doing it for me and for God - not for my friends. I actually discovered that two of my friends from school plus a girl from a younger grade than me were also getting baptized, and this gave me a chance to get to know them a little better. We had a lot of fun and none of us regret it.

So now, I've already applied to work at a Bible camp not too far from where I live. One that I've attended ever since I was about eight years old. I'm super excited to grow in my faith, and especially to work with all the kids! I really love working with kids, and I'm really excited to tell them about my faith journey and to help them grow in their walk with Christ. I'm also trying to do daily devotions. These are pretty inspiring (and no, I'm not trying to be cheesy and sappy). They actually are. For example, the one I read last night talked about who we are behind closed doors. Who are we when no one is watching us? I know for me, I'm much kinder to my friends than to my family. This is something I've got to work on in my life, and getting baptized was apart of that. Getting baptized screamed - hey! look at me! I'm going to live for God! It said, I'm going to make a change in my life, which means trying to be more like Him. And I don't know about you, but I'm pretty sure Jesus was kind to everyone, and that's what I want. Not to be perfect. But to be like Him in all I do.

So now that I've rambled on for quite a while, here are some pictures I'd like to share. The day before I was baptized, my mom took me out for what she called "a baptism photo shoot". We took a few picture to remember the day. So, without further ado, here they are.

Ps. Speaking of who you are behind closed doors, that fifth picture pretty much sums me up!

Cozy-ifying Your Room

Okay. First of all, don't judge the title. Who cares if it isn't a real word. Whatever. Haters back off. Second, I tricked you there for a minute didn't I? You thought I wasn't coming back ever, right? You thought Hello Sunshine was gone forever... :( Well it isn't! In fact, lucky for you, I'm going to share a few ideas with you today! Here are a few of my ideas on how to cozy-ify your room...

First, as you can see from the picture, is a metal bin with some scarves and a pair of mittens in it. I know what you're thinking. What the heck. Why on earth would I keep a bin of mitts in my room? I don't keep them in my room, they were just for show. But, to the point, I like scarves. But, I struggle with knowing where to put them. So, I dug around through my house and found some metal bins that I got at Target a while back. And, attached to them were little chalkboards! How cute! (You can get the little chalkboard labels at Michaels). So, I decided to fill it with my cozy scarves. Hence, COZY scarves. An instant cozyifier. Also, the perfect storage solution for those pretty little pieces of fabric that sell for a fortune. Hmm... maybe I should start making my own...

Next, I love some good music. Especially on my record player. (From Urban Outfitters, by Crosley) Record players just make the music sound vintage and COZY. Yep. Another cozyifier. Now, I know it may seem early, but I do like to play Christmas records. (My personal favorite being Boney M.) But, if you aren't too keen on the idea of Christmas already, I've got you covered. I enjoy a good Frank Sinatra. And I think you will too. But hey, not everyone has a record player. That's okay! Just play your favorite cd in the cd player! Or maybe you wanna travel back in time and pull out the tape player. Yes, just cause I am of the modern age doesn't mean I am completely stupid in the ideas of the past. Anyways, some good jazz will do too.

Third, add some throw blankets and pillows. This one is quite obvious. Everyone likes to COZY UP with some fuzzy blankets and fluffy pillows. There is no doubt about that. The yellow chevron pillow and the blue birdie pillow are both from HomeSense, and the fuzzy pillows I found in my house. (As well with the throw blankets) Don't have any throw pillows or blankets? Don't worry! Target, HomesSense/HomeGoods, and many other places have some awesome pillows and blankets! Also, you'll notice my pillows aren't Christmas themed. They don't have to be Christmasy to be cozy! I just went with the colors of my room. Plus, the fuzz adds some warmth.

And finally, a Christmas tree. Now this is ultimately COZY. A Christmas tree is just the cherry on top. It just brings some warmth to the room with all the little lights. Plus, it's an automatic prettifier! How great is that?! And within this cozyifying tip, I have another little secret tip. Christmas lights add a great hint of coziness. Whether they're on your tree, or above your bed, like me, (I have some mini paper lanterns I picked up at Michaels) it just brings some sort of cozy warmth to your room.

Well, thanks for reading my rambling. Now lets just hope someone actually reads this. I've been working on this for quite a while...

So, as always, if you read this and enjoyed it, or even if you've got some constructive criticism, don't forget to let me know in the comment section below! I hope you have a wonderfully cozy day, wherever you are! (Even if it's snowing outside and you're still in your pyjamas at 5 o'clock like I am). Bye!