19 Things in 19 Years
Hi there,
Welcome or welcome back to my little blog, I thought I may want to introduce myself a little for anyone who is new around here. My name is Darcy-Rea Theriault. I am half Australian and half French Canadian. I've lived in Canada, Australia and Cambodia where my family were missionaries. That's where I started this blog as a place to document my life and my journey. I am currently living in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada where I work as a barista so I can save up money to attend His Hill Bible school in Texas where my amazing boyfriend is from. I am also 19 years old as of Saturday!!! Anyone who has been around from the beginning knows that every year for my birthday I share some things that I've learned over the past year. Here are the ones I wrote for my 17th birthday and my 18th birthday in case you want to browse them. So, let's get this party started!
1. Latte Art! This may be one of the things I am the proudest to have learned this year. It may also be the first actual skill on any of my lists! This has taken me months to learn and I still have so much to learn. But it has been so much fun to learn and see my progress over time.
2. Pretend everyone is your best friend! This piece of advice totally shifted how I meet new people. For my job, I have to meet new people daily and it's my job to give them a warm welcome and make them feel at home. As I was learning to do this, my boss told me to treat everyone as if they were your best friend and you're welcoming them into your home. This really helped me. And as I have gotten better and better at this it has brought me out of my shell quite a bit. It has taught me that strangers really aren't quite as scary as I once thought they were.
3. Driving really scares me! I kind of already knew this. The idea of driving a car was quite frightening to me. I was in Texas recently visiting my wonderful boyfriend Noah. One day as we pulled into the driveway I turned to Noah and said: "You should teach me to drive sometime." He then put the car in drive and off we went to find a place for me to practise. It was honestly very scary to me. It's so much responsibility. You have to do so many things at the same time and you have to keep yourself, the passenger, the car and other drivers safe and comfortable while doing it all. After maybe 20-30 of driving I decided that was enough for now. I know it'll take some practice and then I'll be used to it and comfortable. But, right now it's pretty scary and overwhelming.
4. Take pride in what you do! This was always something I was taught as I child as my mother was frustrated with half-done and rushed chores. However, Over the past six months of being more on my own and having my first real job, I learned to find pride and joy in a job well done. I love my job but some days it's slow, tedious or tiring. But, through it all, I find it so important to find joy and pride in a job well done and working hard. I feel so proud and satisfied when I know I've worked hard and when a job has been completed to the best of my abilities. It feels good to put all my effort into doing a job well.
5. God Provides for His children! This has been such a beautiful lesson over this past year. God has provided for me so fully and cared for me so diligently over this past years as I have not only moved out of home but moved across the world. He has placed people in my life at just the right moments. I was given winter clothes when I arrived in Canada, I had plane tickets paid for, I was given money by strangers. He gave me an amazing church and a wonderful workplace. He provided a place for me to live and so much more. He gave me a family here and friends. he has shown me time and time again that He sees me, hears me, provides for me and cares for me.
6. Taxes, banking and Bills. I have learned so many adulting things this past year. I've had to fill in so many forms. I had to open a bank account by myself and have a job interview by myself. I've so much about taxes and insurance. I've had to ask so many questions and I've had some great guidance which I'm so grateful for. I know I still have so much to learn but I think I've come a long way in the past year.
7. I must learn how to pick my battles! Over the past year, I've also learned a little about what it means to have a partner in life. Now, I really don't want to make it sound like I think I know everything about marriage because I know I am far from that. But, I think I've learned a few little things that have really impacted how I treat Noah. Firstly, I learned that some things are really not worth arguing over. I need to learn how to pick my battles because some things are really not worth getting mad over. I have to learn that I love him more than I love being right all the time. This is something I definitely haven't mastered yet and I don't think I ever will because I really do love being right. But, I know I have to get over myself and realise that we can have a different point of view or opinions and that's okay.
8. I'm very affectionate! This is something else I learned since being with Noah and also after having moved out. I've realised that I am very physically affectionate. I love hugs! Physical touch is my biggest love language which I am so grateful that Noah also shares. I've also learned that this doesn't have to be anything big. I think my family is also quite physically affectionate which was great for me. And I always had friends that were too. I think because I was surrounded by these people all the time I didn't quite realize that not everyone is affectionate. I've definitely learned that over the past years and I've learned that that's okay and that I won't die without a hug.
9. I'm okay with not knowing all the answers all the time! I've realized that I am a very inquisitive person. I ask a lot of questions about a lot of things. But at the same time as being very curious I am also okay with not knowing all the answers all the time. I think this is specifically towards God. There came a point in my walk with Him that I realized that I will never know those answers and that's okay. In fact, it's more than okay. That's amazing! Because if I knew all the answers, if I knew exactly what God knew I would need Him. So, I find great peace in knowing that I don't have all the answers and that okay because He does!
10. I love coffee! This one is so real. Since working in a coffee shop I have fallen in love with coffee... well not quite but you get the idea. I have learned so much about it and I've learned that you'll never stop learning about it. There are so many different ways to make a simple cup of coffee and then so many things you can do to it to make it even better. You can learn about how they grow and roast it. You can learn about the chemistry behind it. You can learn all the different ways to slightly tweak it that can change it drastically. I really do love coffee. Not just the cup of it but also the amount you can learn about it. I love the culture and community behind it and I love the environment around it. There are so many passionate people behind it and so many great places serving it. So, yeah... I love coffee!
11. I am so undeserving! Last year I wrote about how I was learning about God's unconditional love for me and how nothing can take that away from me. Well, this year I've learned just how undeserving I am of that love. I've been studying God's greatness and power and glory. It has brought me to a point where I had to realize that He is just so big and powerful beyond my comprehension. I am so worthless compared to Him. I am so small next to Him. Isaiah 40:15-17 says "Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like a fine dust. Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering. All the nations are as nothing before Him, they are accounted by Him as less than nothing and emptiness." Yet, He loves me with that unconditional love and that has made it all the more amazing to me. He cares for me so perfectly and He allows me the greatest honour of calling Him 'father'! I could write a whole blog post on this alone. So, I won't do that right here right now or else this will be a very long blog post.
12. I'm a little less of an extrovert than I thought! I used to think I was 100% an extrovert. But as time has gone on I have realized that I really do need my alone time. I work with people all day and so often when I get home at the end of the night I just want to hide away in my room by myself. On Thursday nights I have Bible study and afterwards, everyone hangs out for an hour or two. This leaves me socially drained by the end of the night. I really didn't understand this about myself until this year. Downtime is really important to me now.
13. One step at a time is key! I can get really overwhelmed and stressed by a mound of things to do or when I don't know how to do something. So often if I have a bunch of things to do I'll just sit there not knowing what to do and not getting anything done at all. Or if I am overwhelmed not knowing how to do something I can even start to have a panic attack. So, I've learned that I have to always remind myself "Breathe. One step at a time. It'll all be okay." The first step is to take a deep breath to clear my mind of all the clutter and try to slow my heart rate. Next, I try to do the first thing first. This helps me to tackle the first or figure out what to do first. Lastly, I remind myself that everything will all be okay because it will be! This is how I've learned to tackle my stress and anxiety.
14. I don't know what on earth I want to do with my life! This is something that I kind of struggle with. I find it frustrating that I don't have a clear path of what I want to do professionally. I have some options for things that I think I'd like to do but nothing really jumps out at me. But, as God has shown me already, He will show me what He has for me when the time comes. He will reveal it to me when His timing says it's time. It may be hard to wait but I don't really have a choice now do I?
15. Photography is in my blood! I have a mother who loves photography. I grew up having my photo taken often and having photo albums. As I grew I fell in love with photography myself. I believe it was a gift my mother gave me. This past year I have loved growing that passion and stretching myself. It's been so fun to play around with it and share my growth. I hope that I never stop and I hope that my home is filled with photos on the walls and albums on the shelves just like mine were.
16. I've learned what a good church looks like! When I came to Ontario I started attending Hespeler Baptist Church. I've been to quite a few different churches and this one just may be my favourite. The people are so welcoming and hospitable. I immediately felt at home and welcomed. I feel loved here. The pastors preach truth not just what they think the people want to hear which is invaluable in our day and age. There's something for everyone at our church. I love the worship because they play a beautiful mix of new music and old hymns. I have learned so much about what I value in a church since attending this church and I will dearly miss it!
17. Be teachable! Okay, so from experience it's really hard to teach somebody who doesn't want to be taught. Being teachable is a very valuable quality. I have learned over time that everyone has something to teach you! Everyone has experienced things I haven't and learned things I am yet to. That brings me to my next point.
18. Being underestimated may be my biggest pet peeve! I often am underestimated because of my age. I know I have so much to learn and a long way to go. But, that does not mean I don't know anything, haven't lived through stuff or am useless. I get super frustrated when people discredit me or underestimate my abilities or knowledge solely based on how long I've lived. Even a four-year-old can teach you something if only you're willing to learn.
19. People live up to your expectations of them! This is one of the things I learned this while nannying. So often if you have high expectations of a person they will live up to that. If I give the ten-year-old responsibilities, talk to him like an adult and if I trust him with things he will step up to the plate. Not only that but he will feel like I trust him, value him and he's important. These kids are the future of our world. Let's start treating them like it. They are sponges. I learned this the hard way when one day I said something not so kind to one of the boys and ten minutes later he repeated the exact phrase to his brother. That's when I learned that if I want them to treat other people with love and respect it had to start with me. I had to treat them with that same love and respect. They pick up on everything, see everything and listen to everything. Let's show them what kind of adults we want them to be by being them!
So, there are 19 things I learned this year. There are so many more but those are just some of the more interesting or important things. I hope that this was interesting or inspiring. I hope you learned something or got to know me better. I am so grateful for this past year of my life and I cannot wait to see all this next year is holding. I'm so ready to jump into my 20th year of life! Until next time,
Darcy-Rea
1. Latte Art! This may be one of the things I am the proudest to have learned this year. It may also be the first actual skill on any of my lists! This has taken me months to learn and I still have so much to learn. But it has been so much fun to learn and see my progress over time.
2. Pretend everyone is your best friend! This piece of advice totally shifted how I meet new people. For my job, I have to meet new people daily and it's my job to give them a warm welcome and make them feel at home. As I was learning to do this, my boss told me to treat everyone as if they were your best friend and you're welcoming them into your home. This really helped me. And as I have gotten better and better at this it has brought me out of my shell quite a bit. It has taught me that strangers really aren't quite as scary as I once thought they were.
 |
| I love daisies! |
3. Driving really scares me! I kind of already knew this. The idea of driving a car was quite frightening to me. I was in Texas recently visiting my wonderful boyfriend Noah. One day as we pulled into the driveway I turned to Noah and said: "You should teach me to drive sometime." He then put the car in drive and off we went to find a place for me to practise. It was honestly very scary to me. It's so much responsibility. You have to do so many things at the same time and you have to keep yourself, the passenger, the car and other drivers safe and comfortable while doing it all. After maybe 20-30 of driving I decided that was enough for now. I know it'll take some practice and then I'll be used to it and comfortable. But, right now it's pretty scary and overwhelming.
4. Take pride in what you do! This was always something I was taught as I child as my mother was frustrated with half-done and rushed chores. However, Over the past six months of being more on my own and having my first real job, I learned to find pride and joy in a job well done. I love my job but some days it's slow, tedious or tiring. But, through it all, I find it so important to find joy and pride in a job well done and working hard. I feel so proud and satisfied when I know I've worked hard and when a job has been completed to the best of my abilities. It feels good to put all my effort into doing a job well.
5. God Provides for His children! This has been such a beautiful lesson over this past year. God has provided for me so fully and cared for me so diligently over this past years as I have not only moved out of home but moved across the world. He has placed people in my life at just the right moments. I was given winter clothes when I arrived in Canada, I had plane tickets paid for, I was given money by strangers. He gave me an amazing church and a wonderful workplace. He provided a place for me to live and so much more. He gave me a family here and friends. he has shown me time and time again that He sees me, hears me, provides for me and cares for me.
 |
| Blue skies for my birthday! |
6. Taxes, banking and Bills. I have learned so many adulting things this past year. I've had to fill in so many forms. I had to open a bank account by myself and have a job interview by myself. I've so much about taxes and insurance. I've had to ask so many questions and I've had some great guidance which I'm so grateful for. I know I still have so much to learn but I think I've come a long way in the past year.
7. I must learn how to pick my battles! Over the past year, I've also learned a little about what it means to have a partner in life. Now, I really don't want to make it sound like I think I know everything about marriage because I know I am far from that. But, I think I've learned a few little things that have really impacted how I treat Noah. Firstly, I learned that some things are really not worth arguing over. I need to learn how to pick my battles because some things are really not worth getting mad over. I have to learn that I love him more than I love being right all the time. This is something I definitely haven't mastered yet and I don't think I ever will because I really do love being right. But, I know I have to get over myself and realise that we can have a different point of view or opinions and that's okay.
8. I'm very affectionate! This is something else I learned since being with Noah and also after having moved out. I've realised that I am very physically affectionate. I love hugs! Physical touch is my biggest love language which I am so grateful that Noah also shares. I've also learned that this doesn't have to be anything big. I think my family is also quite physically affectionate which was great for me. And I always had friends that were too. I think because I was surrounded by these people all the time I didn't quite realize that not everyone is affectionate. I've definitely learned that over the past years and I've learned that that's okay and that I won't die without a hug.
 |
| Just some beautiful iced drinks we made one day! |
9. I'm okay with not knowing all the answers all the time! I've realized that I am a very inquisitive person. I ask a lot of questions about a lot of things. But at the same time as being very curious I am also okay with not knowing all the answers all the time. I think this is specifically towards God. There came a point in my walk with Him that I realized that I will never know those answers and that's okay. In fact, it's more than okay. That's amazing! Because if I knew all the answers, if I knew exactly what God knew I would need Him. So, I find great peace in knowing that I don't have all the answers and that okay because He does!
10. I love coffee! This one is so real. Since working in a coffee shop I have fallen in love with coffee... well not quite but you get the idea. I have learned so much about it and I've learned that you'll never stop learning about it. There are so many different ways to make a simple cup of coffee and then so many things you can do to it to make it even better. You can learn about how they grow and roast it. You can learn about the chemistry behind it. You can learn all the different ways to slightly tweak it that can change it drastically. I really do love coffee. Not just the cup of it but also the amount you can learn about it. I love the culture and community behind it and I love the environment around it. There are so many passionate people behind it and so many great places serving it. So, yeah... I love coffee!
11. I am so undeserving! Last year I wrote about how I was learning about God's unconditional love for me and how nothing can take that away from me. Well, this year I've learned just how undeserving I am of that love. I've been studying God's greatness and power and glory. It has brought me to a point where I had to realize that He is just so big and powerful beyond my comprehension. I am so worthless compared to Him. I am so small next to Him. Isaiah 40:15-17 says "Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like a fine dust. Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering. All the nations are as nothing before Him, they are accounted by Him as less than nothing and emptiness." Yet, He loves me with that unconditional love and that has made it all the more amazing to me. He cares for me so perfectly and He allows me the greatest honour of calling Him 'father'! I could write a whole blog post on this alone. So, I won't do that right here right now or else this will be a very long blog post.
 |
| One of my daily favourite views! |
12. I'm a little less of an extrovert than I thought! I used to think I was 100% an extrovert. But as time has gone on I have realized that I really do need my alone time. I work with people all day and so often when I get home at the end of the night I just want to hide away in my room by myself. On Thursday nights I have Bible study and afterwards, everyone hangs out for an hour or two. This leaves me socially drained by the end of the night. I really didn't understand this about myself until this year. Downtime is really important to me now.
13. One step at a time is key! I can get really overwhelmed and stressed by a mound of things to do or when I don't know how to do something. So often if I have a bunch of things to do I'll just sit there not knowing what to do and not getting anything done at all. Or if I am overwhelmed not knowing how to do something I can even start to have a panic attack. So, I've learned that I have to always remind myself "Breathe. One step at a time. It'll all be okay." The first step is to take a deep breath to clear my mind of all the clutter and try to slow my heart rate. Next, I try to do the first thing first. This helps me to tackle the first or figure out what to do first. Lastly, I remind myself that everything will all be okay because it will be! This is how I've learned to tackle my stress and anxiety.
14. I don't know what on earth I want to do with my life! This is something that I kind of struggle with. I find it frustrating that I don't have a clear path of what I want to do professionally. I have some options for things that I think I'd like to do but nothing really jumps out at me. But, as God has shown me already, He will show me what He has for me when the time comes. He will reveal it to me when His timing says it's time. It may be hard to wait but I don't really have a choice now do I?
15. Photography is in my blood! I have a mother who loves photography. I grew up having my photo taken often and having photo albums. As I grew I fell in love with photography myself. I believe it was a gift my mother gave me. This past year I have loved growing that passion and stretching myself. It's been so fun to play around with it and share my growth. I hope that I never stop and I hope that my home is filled with photos on the walls and albums on the shelves just like mine were.
16. I've learned what a good church looks like! When I came to Ontario I started attending Hespeler Baptist Church. I've been to quite a few different churches and this one just may be my favourite. The people are so welcoming and hospitable. I immediately felt at home and welcomed. I feel loved here. The pastors preach truth not just what they think the people want to hear which is invaluable in our day and age. There's something for everyone at our church. I love the worship because they play a beautiful mix of new music and old hymns. I have learned so much about what I value in a church since attending this church and I will dearly miss it!
17. Be teachable! Okay, so from experience it's really hard to teach somebody who doesn't want to be taught. Being teachable is a very valuable quality. I have learned over time that everyone has something to teach you! Everyone has experienced things I haven't and learned things I am yet to. That brings me to my next point.
 |
| Just another beautiful wild daisy! |
18. Being underestimated may be my biggest pet peeve! I often am underestimated because of my age. I know I have so much to learn and a long way to go. But, that does not mean I don't know anything, haven't lived through stuff or am useless. I get super frustrated when people discredit me or underestimate my abilities or knowledge solely based on how long I've lived. Even a four-year-old can teach you something if only you're willing to learn.
19. People live up to your expectations of them! This is one of the things I learned this while nannying. So often if you have high expectations of a person they will live up to that. If I give the ten-year-old responsibilities, talk to him like an adult and if I trust him with things he will step up to the plate. Not only that but he will feel like I trust him, value him and he's important. These kids are the future of our world. Let's start treating them like it. They are sponges. I learned this the hard way when one day I said something not so kind to one of the boys and ten minutes later he repeated the exact phrase to his brother. That's when I learned that if I want them to treat other people with love and respect it had to start with me. I had to treat them with that same love and respect. They pick up on everything, see everything and listen to everything. Let's show them what kind of adults we want them to be by being them!
So, there are 19 things I learned this year. There are so many more but those are just some of the more interesting or important things. I hope that this was interesting or inspiring. I hope you learned something or got to know me better. I am so grateful for this past year of my life and I cannot wait to see all this next year is holding. I'm so ready to jump into my 20th year of life! Until next time,
Darcy-Rea
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