July 17, 2004
Kelly, you're definitely deserving of gratitude journals over the last few weeks, and you would have gotten several entries here if I had updated the site in that time at all. Sometimes I forget to extol my friends' greatest qualities, and you, my friend, have many in abundance. I don't really know where to start, and once I start, I probably won't want to end. While a lot of the people I trust have lately been blowing me off, or just completely ignoring me, you've been there the whole time, and you haven't done a thing to make me feel unwanted or unloved. You know my life's story, and so you know that it's a big deal for me to say that.

I know that sometimes you think of yourself as being a burden to me, but you're anything but. I count it a blessing when you find me so that I can help you. It's an honour and not a curse. There aren't too many people in my life that I can say understand me and a bit of what I'm going through lately, but you not only do that, you also have the patience to help me through it. Ours is definitely one friendship I'm not in danger of losing because of an imbalance. I know that you haven't had very easy times in the last couple of months, but I'm proud of you for the way that you've handled these tough weeks. I'm just glad that I got to be a part of it. Here's to many more such glad memories as this!

May 26, 2004
I think that today I'm thankful for Tricia Candy. It might just be my euphoria from PYPS talking, but lately Trish and I have become friends, and it's something I'm definitely glad about. It's not often that I've known someone for a long time and not have had at least a lukewarm friendship with them, but that's definitely the case here. Trish, I know that our paths have crossed many times, and we've even had some good memories, and that it never translated into a friendship, but I'm glad it has now. I can't say that I'm happy that you always thought of me as "Mark's friend" and that I didn't care about you at all, but I'm just as much to blame as you, because I followed your lead and didn't say anything either. Christ's grace is driven home to me now especially, because it transcended that walls that both of us put up -- mine, when I would listen to no one's words about my worth, and yours, thinking that I didn't hope for your friendship. It gives me pause, and cause to praise. As I meditated on this weekend, let's "think about such things."

May 25, 2004
Crys, today I'm thankful immensely for your friendship. PYPS last weekend was wonderful and I think the rather frequent hugs from you were a large part of that. I don't feel like being all proper so I'm going to say exactly what I'm feeling: I'm glad you didn't abandon me. I guess I've gotten a bit used to being left behind, or forsaken, or rejected, but you've never done any of those things. While some people who I've counted as closer friends than you have made me feel a lot of those less than pleasant feelings, I can't think of a time that you ever have. Yours is probably the friendship in my life that I feel is most growing right now, and to me that's a great blessing.

I'm also very proud of you. You've matured a lot in the last few months and I see you worshipping God with all of your spirit. You're beginning to put Him above everything else in your life, including yourself. I can't tell you how much joy seeing that change in you has given me. Knowing that you think of me as an older brother, and as somewhat of a mentor as well, makes me smile both inwardly and outwardly. While some of our other friends I've felt hung out to dry with, I'm glad that our friendship has suffered none of it.

April 21, 2004
Come to think of it, Ty, I don't even know what your last name is. But still, I've rather grateful for you right now, so I thought that I would write it down for posterity, lest it fade utterly. It's also my very lame excuse of an early birthday present. I can't say that I ever expected to find someone so incredibly similar to me, but here you are. We're a rare breed. It takes a certain quality to be able to enthusiastially discuss Final Fantasy battle strategies that defy every law of video games. I used to feel a bit out of place when it came to my Peterborough friends, but now I've found a kindred spirit. You also have the patience to put up with my extremely sarcastic humour, and to even put in a little compliment or two when it comes to my writing. I'm always glad for fresh bait. I mean readers. I don't think any of us will forget Bowser's final moments, though from which of a myriad of Mario games that I've beaten in your company is anyone's guess. Honestly, though, Ty, when I heard how excited you were that I would be there for your birthday, it totally made my day. You've made me feel greatly appreciated, and coming from someone who's known me for no more than two weeks, that makes it that much more important. We'll have to get together again soon so that we can scare away all our other friends with our extreme gaming nerdiness!

April 18, 2004
Jonathan Stephen. There's a name that I don't ever want to forget. It's tough to find a guy friend who actually has some of the same interests as me, and still is a Christian. I would say that you, Tristan and Jamie are the only three people that fit the category. I don't think it's a coincidence that the three of you are the guys I trust most in the world. I met you, Jon, only by extension of Martha, but frankly, I don't care how we met. I'm just glad that we did. Your simplest comments in our talks always seem to make my day. It doesn't even have to be a compliment; just talking with you seems to lift my spirits and make me feel like I'm doing something right. We haven't known each other for that long, and we've been close friends for even less of a time, and yet I feel like we've been through a lot together. I'm glad that my own trials have made me able to help and understand what you go through. I know I told you not to use this word about me, and maybe I'm being a little bit hypocritical to do the reverse, but I will say it anyways: it's an honour to know you, and even more of one to be called your friend, and most especially to have been able to serve you. You are always willing to hear the voice of God in all things, even if it seems distant or contrary to your own wishes. And that, my friend, is something worth honouring.

April 2, 2004
Today, I'm thankful for Mindy and Jamie. Mindy, I'm really glad that you managed to overcome your fear and just tell people what you need to tell them. Sometimes, God can suprise us with a good and unexpected result. Jamie, you're such a calm and peaceful person, and yet good things have come to you, who waited. I'm so happy for the two of you. I admit I haven't even seen the two of you since you became a couple, but I've been hoping that it would happen for a good while now. It's comforting to me to see the two of you being happy together, because it shows me that in the midst of a fallen world, two people can unite and be of great comfort to each other. I don't deny that it depresses me at times, because I know that I have no reason to expect anything of the sort for myself, but it also gives me hope for my friends and the people I care about. I know that they have reason to hope, and it's largely thanks to the two of you. Thank you for giving me hope, so that I can give it to others. Jamie, you've given me reason to say of myself, Onen i-estel Atani; �-chebin estel anim -- "I give hope to men; I keep none for myself."

April 1, 2004
As it's April Fool's Day, it seems appropriate to give thanks for Tristan. There are few people I've laughed with more than you, Tristan, that's for sure. Two hour Penny Chess games, level 99 Paladins, dropping your balls, these are just a few of the times we've spent together and I double up with laughter when I think of most of them. Under our great leadership the Library Plague reached its highest levels, and when we both left for bigger and better things, it suffered greatly, finally dwindling away into nothing. We are both great nerds, though I am much more than one, if you recall.

But seriously, Tristan, yours is one of the opinions I value most in life. You never say anything unless you mean it, and when you say "I love you like a brother" I know that you mean it. You've said countless things to me that I continue to treasure, and coming from you, they mean that much more. You've always been completely honest with me, even when it was painful for me, and still you hold me in the highest regard when you see my weaknesses. It is largely thanks to you, I believe, that I can say with boldness, "Therefore I will boast all the more boldly about my weaknesses... for when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:10-13) Thank you for reminding me of my strength in Christ. I fear nothing when we have fellowship with one another. After all, if Christ is for us, who can be against us? I can't say that I would have thought we would become this close after leaving highschool, but when it comes to pessimism about friendships, I'm always glad to be wrong.

March 24, 2004
Sometimes it can take a tragedy to bring people to a new level of closeness; my life has certainly been a testament to that. For my part, though, Rachel, I'm glad that what some might call a tragedy has come between us in the past. I don't deny that I was hurt at times, but I feel so much closer to you now than I ever did when I had feelings for you. Imoto-san, I'm glad I can be your Onii-san. Who would have thought that we'd become such good friends? I sure didn't, but this is one instance when I'm glad to have been wrong. I miss you constantly and expect only more of the same, but I wouldn't trade our friendship for anything. We've been through some rough times together and it's made me trust you implicitly, and I think it works both ways. I look forward to years of a wonderful and fulfilling friendship between us, and I have no reason to doubt that those years won't be cut short. I love you, little sis. Thanks for putting up with a really frustrating older brother.

March 23, 2004
If there's one person in the world that has always challenged me, Tracy, it would have to be you. Ours been such a refreshing friendship for me, because I see you asking really mature questions about your own faith, and you really do put yourself second when you get answers to them. You see yourself as an instrument of God's grace and power, and your own wants and needs always go second. Sometimes I wish I could be more like you in that respect. I will always treasure that week we spent together at Canada Youth, and not just because we had a great time. It forged one of my most treasured friendships, and that isn't something I'm going to forget any time soon. I mean what I say when I tell you that the guy that wins your heart will be very lucky. I only hope that he realises what a gift he'll have been given, because that's what you are to me: a very great gift, and one that I can't possibly repay.

March 20, 2004
Martha, I'm really glad that we have the memory of watching the sunrise together. To me, it's been not only a great blessing, but a catalyst for the growth of our friendship and our trust in each other. That's a trust I don't want to lose, and I have no reason to fear that I will. Thank you for your understanding and comfort, even when I'm too stubborn to listen. It's a great credit to our friendship that we can discuss and debate and even argue, you taking the emotional side of things, me taking the logical, and still be just as close as any brother and sister. I don't know what I've done to deserve your friendship, but I'm certainly blessed to have it.

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Mary Dingle, what can I say about you? You were the first real friend I ever had. I know you don't believe that you mean much to me anymore, but if there's one thing that's always been true about me, it's that I tell the truth, no matter how much it hurts. I still can't walk in the rain without thinking about you, and our spot behind the old mill is just not the same any more. You taught me so much, about life and love and pain, and most of all self-sacrifice. You were willing to see in me something beautiful that no one else would, and for that I can never repay you. I wouldn't be here today if not for you, and I don't think I would have been able to accept Christ if not for all our long walks together. It gives me great joy just to remember them. I know that you don't understand all that I've been through, and why I've done what I've done, but if nothing else, know it was because I couldn't bear to cause you pain. You said once that I would always have a special place in your heart. I'm just glad now that I can say the same to you.