mikao's world

the interview meme

joining the recent blogging phenom, here is my intereview... it was interesting to see what questions stacey came up with for me. i don't think she had ever been to my blog before, or maybe once or twice, so it was neat to see what a new comer came up with to ask me based on first impressions.

1. You're very open about your relationship with God, do you find that makes people uncomfortable? Do you ever feel like you should censor yourself in certain situations?

sure it makes people uncomfortable. so what? and yes, sometimes i feel like i should censor myself in certain situations. but i think often that is my own timidity that makes me do so. but, "...God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7)... which is something i strive to make evident in my life. it's weird to be in a situation where you're the only Christian and people ask you to say grace at a meal. what is appropriate? what isn't? should i not mention Jesus? usually i just go ahead as "normal", i say what i would have said if i had been in a whole room of other believers.

i struggle a lot with being more open about my faith in public. having been to Bible college and now finishing my master's degree in seminary, i've been in a Christian bubble for a long time. sure it's easy to be a Christian there. but out in the world, will it be? i don't think so. i admire those Christians who are out there working in the world in non-ministry, non-Christian environments. i have no idea where i'll be come january when i'm finished school and have to get a "real job". but i'm looking forward to seeing where God takes me in this life.

2. You love the prairie. I've always lived on a coast and feel very landlocked and claustrophobic when in-land. How does the coast make you feel? Have you ever seen the ocean? How did that affect you?

i think what i love most about the prairie is being able to see for miles and miles and miles that look like they never end. which is something the prairie and the ocean have in common. the ocean however, is not a beautiful shade of golden yellow like endless wheatfields are. but the silvery-blue of the endless expanse of water is beautiful too.

yes, i have seen the ocean, both the atlantic and pacific, and i've been to the gulf of mexico. i like being able to go to the ocean and look across the wide expanse of water and think about the continent that is on the other side. it's cool to think that the ocean goes on and on for almost forever.

how did the ocean affect me? well, the last time i saw it was in july 2001, and i still have a perma-tan from the burn i got, and a jellyfish stung me. but the water was nice and warm, although i was not too fond of the hundreds of jellyfish i saw, and after i got stung i didn't go back in. the maine coast was too cold. the oregon coast had too many rip tides. but the ocean is beautiful.


3. You're Canadian, but you've lived in two U.S. states, so, I have to ask... do you think Tim Horton's coffee is better than Dunkin' Donuts coffee? I can't taste the difference.

well, actually, i've never had either's coffee. i don't like coffee. but Canadians are very loyal to their tim horton's. i'd take a tim horton's donut any day over both dunkin' donuts and krispy kreme. although krispy kreme has cool t-shirts.

and you haven't had the true Canadian experience until you've had a tim horton's iced cappucino. ooooooo.... goodness.

4. What is the most "unChristian" thing you've ever done?

i have absolutely no idea. that's a tough question... i don't know what you would consider "unChristian." i've never done drugs or smoked, i'm a virgin saving myself for marriage, i have only ever had alcohol once and that was accidentally because it was on cheesecake. and no, i'm not perfect. i've just chosen to live a different lifestyle because of my beliefs. i won't condemn you because you choose to drink alcohol or whatever. i have Christian friends who do. it's not anti-Christian or "unChristian" to drink. Jesus drank wine.

i did not grow up in a Christian family, but i always had high morals of what is right and wrong. i became a Christian when i was 13, but i really didn't start living it until college. every once in awhile i catch myself lying. that i suppose would be "unChristian" on an ongoing basis.

5. Why did you punch that boy in the face when you were 11? Did he hit you back?

actually, i was in eleventh grade, so i was 16 or 17. it was in gym class, he was bugging me and making lewd comments. ryan wall was a big jerk, but we were friends. we were all standing by the gym doors waiting to be dismissed from class, and i just punched him. right there, in front of everyone. you know how on tv when they make everything slow-motion? that's what it felt like seeing him fall. and that is what everyone said, it wasn't just me.

and no, he didn't hit back. i think he was in too much shock.

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The Interview Meme

1. If you want to participate, leave a comment saying "interview me."
2. I will respond by asking you five questions—each person's will be different.
3. You will update your journal or blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview others in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions

thank you to stacey for my questions.