Archive for February, 2008

Spring is in the air!

February 29, 2008 · Filed under Life in general · Tagged , , , ,

Spring is in the air! Yes! The past few days have been astoundingly beautiful with temperatures in the 60’s and 70’s. This afternoon I rode my bike for several miles…and it felt wonderful! I’ve been outside most of the afternoon, even while working on my computer. Who wants to be in the house when one can enjoy the warm sunshine, the birds chirping, and the faint sound of the breeze blowing through the trees…? Not I! Right now, I’m sitting in the sun on the porch with Lady sunning herself and panting (as dogs do so well!). Rascal and Mittens are also hanging out on the porch with me, rolling on the floor periodically and letting out a most annoying ‘MEOW’ every now and then as if to say “I would like some attention please!.”

Dad just came out of the house and is going outside to the shed. Oh, and there goes Lady! She doesn’t care much about me when Dad’s around. She thinks he’s a lot more fun. Checking the cows in the pickup, mending fences in the pasture (and chasing rabbits), or just playing around in the shed is her idea of a good time. Yup! She’s pretty much Dad’s blonde-haired girlfriend!

Work has perhaps slowed down a tad bit this week. That’s good! I filled in on the night shift Wednesday for another RN. Whoa….I have not worked a night shift since I’ve been on days, which has been over 2 years. I think I actually surprised myself at how awake I was most of the night. It wasn’t really very busy and so at about 2:00 am, I was beginning to feel a wave of ZZZZZZZZZZZ! I walked some laps around the hospital, for about an hour to keep myself awake. And then by about 4:00 am, a new wave of energy hit me and I felt like I could run a marathon! (Not quite…) By 5:30 am, I got the giggles which usually happens when I’m really tired! lol! I blamed all of my blonde moments on a lack of sleep! But then I had to get serious as we had an ambulance bring us a patient and before I knew it, 7:00 am was here and the next shift was arriving! YEA!!! I made it home shortly after 8:00 am and no, I didn’t fall asleep at the wheel. By 9:00 am, after being up for 24 hours, I was happily dreaming. Sleep never felt so good! =)

Welp…I had better go get some supper ready. Dad’s back in the house watching the evening news and will be expecting to eat soon!

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Fun at work

February 26, 2008 · Filed under Random · Tagged

Work today was busy at the hospital…as seems to be the norm for a few weeks now. The day started off on a bad note as one of our RN’s and one of our LPN’s called in sick. So…it was left up to Sandy and I to fill in the huge gaps. YIKES!! I couldn’t have choosen a better RN to work with though…we worked together great! And, believe it or not, despite the busyness…we managed to have some fun along the way! Throughout the day…we had an ongoing competition…to see who could answer the most IV ‘beeps’ the fastest. So…everytime, an IV ‘beeped’ (and trust me, that was quite frequent with a floor full of patients), Sandy and I raced down the hall to see who could find it first! I think we lost count of who actually won but we didn’t really care anyway…we were just glad to have some fun from what could have been a very stressful day for all of us. A few of the patients even found it humorous! And besides that…it was good excercise (I think I ran down the hall nearly a million times)! =)

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I Can’t Feel at Home in this World Anymore

February 26, 2008 · Filed under Inspiration · Tagged , ,

I Can’t Feel at Home in this World Anymore 

This world is not my home I’m just a passing through
My treasures and my hopes are all beyond the blue
Where many friends and kindred have gone on before
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore

Over in glory land there is no dying there
The saints are shouting victory there’s singing everywhere
I hear the voice of them that I have heard before
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore

Oh lord you know I have no friend like you
If heaven’s not my home oh lord what would I do
Angel’s beckon me to heaven’s open door
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore

Heaven’s expecting me that’s one I know
I fixed it up with Jesus a long time ago
He will take me through though I am weak and poor
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore

Oh I have a loving mother over in glory land
I don’t expect to stop until I shake her hand
She’s gone on before just waiting at heaven’s door
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore

This is one of the songs that was sung at my mom’s funeral and I was reminded of it as I spent some time with the Lord this morning. There is a greater home that awaits those who have trusted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. For here on earth, I am just passing through and I know that someday I will also say that I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.

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The Armor of God

February 25, 2008 · Filed under Life in general · Tagged , ,

In Kid’s Club this semester, we’ve been discussing the Armor of God and preparing for spiritual battles. It has been a lot of fun for Serena and I and the kids also. Here’s a few pics from the last couple of weeks. Sometimes they get just a little wild…!

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God speaking

February 25, 2008 · Filed under Inspiration · Tagged , ,

 

God Speaking

by Mandisa,  Album: True Beauty

Have you ever heard a love song
That set your spirit free
Have you ever watched a sunrise
And felt you could not breathe
What if it’s Him
What if it’s God speaking
Have you ever cried a tear that
You could not explain

Have you ever met a stranger
That already knew your name
What if it’s Him
What if it’s God speaking

Who knows how He’ll get a hold of us
Get our attention to prove He is enough
He’ll do and He’ll use
Whatever He wants to
To tell us I love you

Have you ever lost a loved one
Who you thought should still be here
Do you know what it feels like
To be tangled up in fear
What if He’s somehow involved
What if He’s speaking through it all

His ways are higher
His ways are better
Though sometimes strange
What could be stranger
Than God in a manger

God is speaking
I love you

Hearing from God

Yes, I’ve cried a tear I could not explain, I’ve met a stranger who knew my name, I’ve lost a loved one who I thought should still be here, and I’ve been tangled up in fear. As I was listening to the words of this beautiful song on the radio today, I paused to thank God for showing me how much He loves me. Sometimes His ways are mysterious and strange and I wonder ‘why’…but I am confident that His ways, no matter what they seem to me, are ALWAYS best. God doesn’t tell us all the ‘whys’ or even the ‘hows’ but He does ask us to trust Him. 

I’m reminded of the Sunday School lesson that I taught yesterday to the 4th-6th graders. The lesson comes from the book of Nehemiah, a famous cupbearer to King of Persia and the one who was instructed by the Lord to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Perhaps at times, this seemed like an impossible task to Nehemiah especially when a few men began rebelling against the rebuilding and threatened war. But Nehemiah remained steadfast in the strength and confidence of the Lord. He knew that with the Lord on his side, even the impossible would be possible. Because of one man’s faithfulness and trust in God, the city of Jerusalem was rebuilt.

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10 minutes of my time

February 21, 2008 · Filed under Inspiration · Tagged

Work was more than just busy today. It was almost unbearably hectic. Several times today, I just wanted to scream or pull out my hair or burst into tears. But no matter how stressful or sad or demanding or annoying or insane the situation may be, the nurse is the one who must remain calm, make sense of the chaos, offer words of comfort, and keep smiling through it all. That is hard…real hard sometimes. Today, I admit, my patience was tried, my smile tempted to fade,  my joy faced loss, my frustration reached its peak, and my love for nursing seemed to be gone. But only for a moment…and then God, as He always faithfully does, causes something to happen or brings someone across my path that brightens up the bleak day.

And this morning that “ray of sunshine” came in an 86 year old man. As I entered this patient’s room, my task was to administer the ordered IV medication and then get on to the two million other things that I had yet to do. This gentleman politely asked me about myself since he didn’t know me and I wasn’t a “Meade girl.” In our short little chat, I discovered that I knew him in a round about sorta way but also that he was a Believer. In his very own words, “I’ve known the Lord for many years.” As I left his room 10 short but meaningful minutes later, he said “it was so nice visiting with you.” I can say likewise. A good nurse is not defined by the medication that she gives, by the heart dysrhythmias that she detects, nor by the two million other things that she may perform each day, but rather by the 10 minutes that she takes just to talk to a patient.

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Funny little story

February 19, 2008 · Filed under Life in general, Random · Tagged , , , ,

Oh my goodness…the weather was amazingly beautiful today!! It’s making me want spring to be here really soon! Not sure I can wait until April…but I suppose I don’t have much of a choice, huh?!?! Tomorrow though, I think I’ll be reminded that indeed winter is not over and I can’t put my coat away just yet. ;)

I washed my very VERY dirty car this afternoon. It was in pretty bad need of a bath after that rain shower that we got a few nights ago. Unfortunately much of the mud that I managed to get off of the car ended up on me! And so after all the splashing, splattering, and scrubbing mess, my car looked almost as good as new (not quite…) and I looked like I had freckles! Serena thought I looked pretty funny…it’s a good thing that she didn’t have a camera real handy!

Okay…here’s a cute funny little story that I think you’ll like. And the best part is that it is TRUE! It was the middle of the afternoon…I’d say about 3:30 pm. I’m out washing my car by the shed, where Dad is working. Dad gets a call on his cell phone from Serena (who was in the house by the way) who says she has lost her cell phone. Apparently Serena has already looked all over the house and tried calling her cell and hasn’t had any success in locating it. Serena had made a trip to the post office right after lunch and thought that perhaps she left it there…so as I drove my car back into the garage, she was on her way back down to the post office. She returned a short time later, cell phone in hand. But wait…this is the funny part! I said “I’m glad you found your phone and now I’m going to go take a shower because I feel like I’ve been in a mud pit.” Serena agrees and says, “Yea, you need a shower. I feel like I need one too.” To which I replied “Why do you need a shower…all you did was go down to the post office!” And Serena states emphatically, “I had to walk through the street to find my phone in the grass outside of the post office!” So I replied, “Oh boy, you had to walk outside to find your phone!” Yes, it pretty much takes a miracle or enough desperation to get that girl to go outside of the house…! And…Dad just grins! =)

My agenda tomorrow is this:

1) practice piano

2) grocery shopping

3) eating lunch with my Grandma at Pizza Hut

4) call one of my friends (whom I haven’t talked to for a while…we keep on playing phone tag!)

5) Kid’s Club tomorrow evening

I usually have piano lessons tomorrow morning too, but my teacher just called and is sick with the flu. :( Our study on the Armor of God for Kid’s Club has been really great! The kids are having fun with it…and Serena and I are too! Tomorrow we are discussing the Shield of Faith. The memory verse is one of my favorites: 2 Timothy 4:7 ~ “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Paul had indeed done all of that…I hope that I can say the same someday. That is the same verse that we had inscribed on Mom’s tombstone. I believe that she had fought the good fight, she finished the race, and she kept the faith…and it was time for her to go home. Her work on earth was done and she did it well.

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Babies and Fathers

February 18, 2008 · Filed under Random · Tagged

This is just pretty funny! A friend sent it to me…and I just had to post it!!

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Yummy!

February 15, 2008 · Filed under Life in general · Tagged ,

As I’m sitting here at my computer in my room drinking my favorite Diet Mt. Dew, my mind is wondering back to the busy day at work…and the busy weekend that I have to look forward to. ;) *sigh*  The Drs. must have thought we were going to get bored, so they were sure to keep us hopping!

The past couple of years, we’ve developed a tradition of making (and eating of course!) cherry cheesecake on Valentine’s day. And it has been mmm…mmm….GOOD!! Better than any Valentine’s chocolate! 

Cherry Cheesecake

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“…but the greatest of these is love.”

February 14, 2008 · Filed under Inspiration, Spiritual · Tagged , ,

To some, yes, it may seem I (along with many other dear daughters of the King) will be hopelessly guyless this Valentine’s Day. But to me…it hardly seems that way. Is it the love between a guy and a girl that makes this day so traditional and so special? Perhaps. But if it weren’t for Christ’s love for His Bride, the church, we would not know love. LOVE…that word that is vastly overused and has been stripped of it’s majesty, beauty, and pure bliss. But I think that all we really need to know about love is found in God’s love letter to us, the Bible.

Love begins with a relationship…a relationship with Jesus Christ. For it was Him Who demonstrated love in it’s absolute perfect form by dying on the cross the for you and I. He died so that we could live. 1 John 3:16 “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us…” There has been no greater love in all of history than this.

As contrary to popular belief or thought, love is not a warm fuzzy feeling or emotion. Love is action. It is shown by our obedience to Jesus Christ. 2 John 1:6 “This is love, that we walk according to His commandments…”

Love is unconditional and completely selfless. That’s why we, as human beings, cannot love without Jesus Christ…because we are selfish and sinful and want to please ourselves. But love is the opposite of that…it is dying to ourselves and our own desires. It is doing what is best for another, even if it hurts. It is doing not what we “feel” like, but rather doing what we know to be right and true. I hardly think that Jesus “felt” like being nailed to a cross and dying, but He did it…He did it because He loved us so very much.

I don’t think that it is possible for us in this earthly life to fully comprehend and appreciate love. It is something we will never be able to master or achieve in our lifetime, but there will come a day when we as Believers will be like Jesus Christ and then fully understand and express love. Oh, what an amazing day to look forward to…when we will actually be able to love Him as much as He loves us!! =)

Now…this post won’t be complete without the words of 1 Corinthians 13…the love chapter.

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;  does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;  bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

“…but the greatest of these is love.” Why I wonder? Because faith and hope will be fulfilled with the return of Jesus Christ, when He comes and takes us home to be with Him. But love will continue beyond that. Love will last for eternity…it knows no end.

So…guyless? Not really. He loves me so much He died for me. He loves me unconditionally. He is ALWAYS faithful to me. He is never to busy to listen to me. He will NEVER leave me. And…He’s written me a love letter longer and far more beautiful than anything!

Love Bible

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