The Technicolor Phase

So. Everyone has quirks. Rather it be chewing gum every Friday after 6 o'clock or knitting during church to stay focused, everyone's got their weird, quirky little quirks.

After living with my roommate and cousin, Sherise, for 6 months, we have both discovered our own little quirks that we both find interesting about each other. We agreed that having these quirky-like quirks in our personalities only make us more human (and attractive!).

So, to flaunt my humanness (or... attractiveness?), I'm going to talk about my quirks, rather you've noticed them or not or don't even know who I am (you're weird).

I brush my teeth, eat a mint or use mouthwash after every single meal I have everyday, because I hate to think I have bad breath. Some people have noticed how white my teeth are. It's because of my crystalite breath. At least that's what I imagine in my head. Shards of crystals jutting out my mouth every time I breathe. ...Like...like an ice dragon...with nice breath.

When I stand and play guitar, I sway. Apparently a lot. I wouldn't think so, but the guy I play with on stage at church always tells me he feels like I'm gunna push him off and overthrow the entire stage for myself...just by my "sweet, innocent swaying". Ha! ...It's not that innocent, Phil.

When I go to sleep, first I gotta lay on my back, and then on my right side, and then on my stomach. And then on my left side, then on my back, and then on my stomach again. ...And then I'll fall asleep. Like a tired pancake.

Okay, okay...This is a very...very special quirk of mine. In the picture above, you will see just how cheesy my face is. It is, alas, the infamous Cheese Face. Some of you may have witnessed it, taken a picture with it or perhaps dreamed of it. This face is a precious rarity, I believe. It flashes upon my expression whenever I've made an oopsie or lost my common sense (which is common). This face has been passed down through the Reimer family for many generations upon generations...Perhaps this is the same face Eve made when she realized she shouldn't have given the fruit to Adam.

Another thing, I love to dance like a cheester with no shame. Pure, David-undignified dancing. I do this even in public, just to bring a new atmosphere of something odd and quirky. And attractive humanness.

I wear my lime green ski pants like jeans because I love them. They look cool. So...I'll just wear them, even indoors. Apparently that's weird in Canada. Can't handle the color, then don't look at the color, Canadians.

I mess with my bottom lip when I'm thinking or trying to focus, which commonly looks like I'm about to whistle. But...I'm not. I'm trying to think. Please understand this misconception. I am taken, like Gollum's one ring in a dark, dark cavern. Absolutely taken. And my whistling sounds more like a horse wheezing from second-hand smoking.

My final quirk is that...I have many quirks. And you might know some. Add 'em to the list! Because the more quirks, the more human (and attractive) you are! See, this is a simple list of reasons why being a little different is good for the human soul. In the end, these little quirks give everyone around you a fine, fine life. What's so wrong with a quirky (and attractive) variety of people?

Hercules, You've got Nothing to Say to Me

It started with a question, "God, where do you want me to go?"

"Well," I could hear Him respond, "What is the desire of your heart?" I stood before my seat in my youth room, and stared at the stage in front of me. He was asking me, Can you feel which desires I have put in your heart? If you can...then pursue them.

My heart almost exploded with joy, as if finally getting permission to do something so incredibly great and daring that I expected a No, not this time, Sweetie. But God said, Go for it, Darling. 

Two weeks into my Grade 12 year, I knew God was calling me to Canada. I wasn't sure where specifically, or for what, but all I knew was that my heart burned for that country, and I was going to follow that burning feeling until God would tell me No. But He didn't. He reminded me of Psalm 37:4, "Take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart."

Ever since I could remember, every summer my family and I would go to Canada to see our family for several weeks at a time. Passing the border from the States into Canada, I would squeal and jump all over my seat in our stuffed car (no matter how old I was and still am). I bonded with my cousins to the extreme--it felt like I lived my other half of my life in Canada and yet I somehow lived in Texas. My dream, my desire, ever since I could remember, was to live in Canada and live that other half as long as I could. And now God finally confirmed to me where I was to go after I graduated.

Sometime around January of last year, one of my closest cousins, Calen, told me all about the small bible school he was attending there in Canada--School of Ministers. He told me so many great things about it, and how much he's changed because of it. But he didn't need to tell me. I knew how much he's changed during his course in this school, and I wanted that, too, because quite honestly, I was slipping backwards. Suddenly, there was my answer. School of Ministers, Allison. Go to School of Ministers in Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada!

"What are you going to do after you graduate?" Asked my English teacher several months after I found my calling, only a few weeks before my class would walk the stage wearing a cap and gown. Several said they were going to colleges nearby, only an hour or three of a drive from home. One or two said they'd attend a college outside of Texas in a nearby state. And then when it came to me, I simply said, "I'm going to Canada."

My whole class stared at me, or at least that's what it felt like. I just had a huge grin on my face, the kind that read, "My Dad finally gave me permission to skydive through five rings of untamable fire over a pit of poisonous snakes and angry sharks. I can't wait!!"

It's sad to say that there really were those people out there who would discourage me from following my life-long dream to live in Canada. Maybe they weren't aware of their pessimistic words, but for someone like me and for an adventure like this would take nothing but optimism and encouragement. The more people discouraged me, the more I was going to prove them wrong. The more I wanted to leave for Canada and the sooner. My parents could testify that it felt like I wanted to run away from home--because they had the right to believe so, of course they did! I would graduate in May and take off for Canada 4 months later! But through some hard work, heavy burdens and endless, unanswerable questions, my parents finally supported me. And not only me, but my twin brother, Taran, decided to join me as well!

It's needless to say, though there were many discouragements and excruciatingly painful goodbyes, Taran and I moved to Canada September 3rd, 2012 and started attending School of Ministers.

It's been 5 months and 2 days since then. Taran and I can both say that going to School of Ministers was not a waste of time, money and heartache, and God has confirmed to me several times that this is where He wants me to be. What I've come for, I've gotten. Intense spiritual growth and knowledge, much stronger spiritual confidence and definitely a spiritually fresh start!

The only question left remaining is...What next?

Maybe God will let me skydive through 6 rings of untamable fire over a pool of lava and poisonous snake-sharks and angry bear-dinosaurs. What can I say? It's a fine, fine life no matter what the answer will be!