DONE!

Oh my gosh, I thought the day would never get here. Seriously. I was so convinced time was standing still, it's not even funny.
But the day has come and passed, and I am graduated!!!

Wow. What a relief. It still hasn't really sunk in for me that I am finished. But I have a feeling it will soon. Just being able to enjoy my coffee this morning, and getting to have a leisurely quiet time-- that alone was amazing.
God has seen me through. He has sustained me once again, and oh, am I just so overwhelmed that He did. My mom got me a ring for graduation..it's called a faith ring. On the top, there is a small shell, and tiny footprints, and on the inside of the silver band are the words, 'When you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.' HE carried me through this. And I am so glad he did. I wouldn't have made it anywhere without him. To God be the glory!!

So yes, here I am, the first day of a new chapter of life. No, I have no idea what I am gonna do next. I think my goal right now is just to study and pass my boards at the end of this month, then find a nursing job, and I'm going to enroll in some pre-req classes for the fall at the community college. Please pray the Lord opens the door for me to find a job quickly!

Thank yo for all the prayers over these long 18 months...it's been such a hard road, but prayer alone and the faithfulness of God has prevailed once again.

Enjoy your day, dear friends!!

 

 

The Glory of Life.

Good morning friends!
At long last, I am free! Haha hallelujah! It is done. All over. I had my last day of preceptorship week yesterday, and that wrapped up my 18 months of practical nursing school. Now all that's left to do is walk across the stage on April 19th and receive my diploma! Ahhhhhh!!

Alot of people have been asking me if I'm like super excited to be done. Quite frankly, it still doesn't feel real. Like wait, you mean I'm not gonna be in nursing school the rest of my life? You mean I don't ever have to back to that school? Seriously? Ahah it's truly one of those things that seem too good to be true. But it is. I think it's gonna take me a few days for it to sink in that I am finally done with this long and very challenging chapter of life. At last, I really will be moving on.

I had an incredible experience this past week with one of my patients, and I was just so encouraged. I think the Lord let it happen so I wouldn't lose hope or vision during those grueling 12 hour days. This 90 year old lady was sent over to the hospital from a nursing home across the street where I had also done clinical rotations. So when I saw she was my patient, I immediately remembered her. This poor lady was completely non-verbal and could not communicate with me at all. I know she heard and understood everything I was saying, but she just was out of it and couldn't communicate. And she had come to the hospital and had to get her second leg amputated. She had already had the other one amputated a few years before. So I am in the room, having to change the dressing on her stump, and she just starts moaning and crying, showing just how much pain she was really experiencing. I felt terrible. It's so hard when patients cannot tell you they are hurting, and you are afraid to just keep giving them meds for fear of over-medicating them. Anyways, I saw her just really showing pain, so I asked another nurse to go get her some pain meds. I felt the need to just stay with her...

So I did.

I took her trembling hand in one of mine, and with my other hand, I gently stroked her hair. Still she wouldn't calm down. So I did what I knew the Lord was telling me to do-- I started to sing. Softly humming at first, but then I opened my mouth and just sang with my heart. As the words to "It Is Well With My Soul": left my lips, I literally felt the Holy Spirit filling that tiny hospital room. I even hesitated for a second when the first notes left my mouth because frankly I was thinking, "Wait a minute. I know for a fact that I can't sing very well...so why does what I am singing right now sound like...amazing?" I think the Lord was singing through me to comfort this precious old lady. Friends I kid you not, the instant I began singing, her trembling stopped. Her moaning ceased. And her eyes closed...in utter peace.

Holy cow God. This is why I am a nurse. This is what you made me to be--your hands, your feet, your voice, your compassion, your tenderhearted spirit, your comfort, your peace. I felt the Lord comforting her through me. I know with all my heart He was right there with me in that room, easing this lady's pain, and bringing her His peace despite all she was going through. When my youngest sister was born, my mom had a beautifully compassionate and just wonderful nurse who was from a different country, and had an exotic name that my mom still cannot remember to this day, but she does remember asking the nurse what her name meant, and she told her it meant, "Singing Healer". That has been my motivation. I want to be a singing healer. I want the Lord to give me divine inspiration to sing over my patients, to invite the Spirit in to heal them and comfort them when drugs and comfort measures will do nothing. I have to keep all of this close to my heart and I cannot always verbalize my intentions, but I am always praying for my patients. Always asking the Lord to flood their body's with peace, with comfort. And friends, I know with all my heart that He is.

One of my favorite movies is "We Were Soldiers" and there is a song from it by Rascal Flatts called, "The Glory of Life". This song reminds me daily of the glory of life, and how as a nurse, that is what I am praying for and working for. That my patients will not only recover and discover how wonderful life is here, but also the unfathomable richness and glory of a life with Christ. Listen to it here!

Well, I am off to enjoy this first day of Spring Break!! Bathrooms to be cleaned, laundry to do, workouts to complete...ahhh so much to do :-) Have a WONDERFUL Saturday friends!!

Happy Sunday :-)

Enjoying a beautiful Sunday afternoon walk at the beach...my favorite place to be! Enjoy your day of rest friends!

At long last...

Friends!!
Oh my goodness, so yes, I have not blogged in what, over two months? Gaaaahhh. How I have missed writing! How I have missed sharing my heart on here. HOw I have missed just..well, blogging!

I have some CRAZY exciting things happening in my life right now! Wow, where to even begin! I will definitely share more details when I can, but this is gonna jujst be a quick update because my family is waiting for me to come enjoy dinner, and my computer keeps beeping, reminding me that yes, it is going to die very soon ahah.

The biggest thing right now is that I am GRADUATING nursing school on April 19th! Oh my goodness oh my goodness oh my goodness words cannot explain my relief, my excitement, nor my anticipation for what lies ahead. We had our last clinical day today, so all that is left is Preceptorship week. I will be working a regilar shift as a nurse at the hospital. Monday 7-3, Tuesday 7-7, Thursday 7-3, and Friday 7-7....SHEW!! Prayers would be much appreciated ;) But then graduation, and done, praise the Lord.

I have been on a exciting journey since the beginning of the year, and it's been involving fitness! I am celebrating 30 days into my P90X program, and let me tell you, has it been a challange! But a great one. I am so motivated to stay im shape, because I know it will not only benefit me physically, but will help with so many other aspects of my life. I am already seeing some amazing results, and I am so STOKED! Will definitely be posting some pictures here soon :)

And the last thing is...well, I've totally met an amazing guy!! :) :) :) :) And I know you're going to hate me, but that's all I can say right at this point ;) But BELIEVE ME when the time comes, ya'll are gonna be sick of hearing all my sappy love stories hehehe. Jk. But please be praying! Will keep you posted!!

Alrighty friends, dinner calls. Thank you for being such faithful readers! Love you all! Happy weekend :-)

"That's What I Love about Sundays..."

Well, it's another Sunday! The best day of the week...

Or at least, that's what I am trying to work on saying.

I've been thinking about this alot lately. Sundays. The Sabbath. The day of rest. Friends, I am telling you right now, I kind of dread Sundays sometimes. I am the world's biggest procrastinator, so Sundays equal tons of homework. I enjoy sleeping in, so Sundays equal me being grumpy as I get up early for church. I enjoy hanging out with people and just "chillin'" on Sunday evenings, yet all I can think of is the fact that I have to get up for school the next morning. Sundays can be very stressful for me.
Yet like I said, I have been thinking about it alot, praying about it, and have even been provoked by some sermons at church regarding fiercely guarding this holy day. Sundays have been set aside from the beginning of time as a holy day. The day that God our father rested. He didn't need the rest. He's God for goodness sakes! So why did He?
I truly believe it's because He knew where our society would end up: a people obsessed with progress, always rushing, always invloved in 20 different things at one time, forever running here for this meeting, then going to this social event, then home to grab a change of clothes, onl to run out hte door ten minutes later for another evening function. It's literally insane!! I myself am caught up in it sadly. I am driven by progress and visable results. I cannot sit for 5 minutes on the couch without that thought of "I totall shouldn't be sitting down right now. There's definitely something "prodictive" I can be doing." My life is a circus of school, friends, studying, working out, calling people, and staying busy busy busy all the time. Friends, it is overwhelming. Any of you feeling me right now? Take a look at your day. What things do you fill it with?
I have been feeling the Spirit ust convicting me about how vital it is that I guard my Sundays. He calls us to follow His example, and take 1 day...ust 1 day out of our weeks (that leaves 6 for productivity btw) to just stop. Stop the chaos. Stop the rushing. Stop the never ending flow of distractions and worries and stresses from work. God knew we would need a day to re-vamp, re-vitalize, re-fresh ourselves. It is OKAY to rest people! It is not a BAD THING to enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee, or sit down and talk with your family in the living room for awhile. It's not lazy to go sit outside on your porch swing and read a book. The Lord wants us to get away from all the chaos. He is calling us to shut it off for a littel portion of our week, and focus our attention back onto what really matters: His love for us. His peace that He has for us. His blessings. How He always looking out for us. Think on that for a bit.

SO I encourage you to join me! I am determined to make Sunday my day of rest. Yes, I will have to make a few adjustments such as doing my homework on Saturday, getting the laundry and cleaning done, and whatever else I may need done. I am gonna turn my phone off, hide my school books out of sight, and turn my computer off. But then Sunday, I am going to wake up a little later, go and worship the Lord with God's people, go out to lunch with friends, come home, take a nap, maybe read a book. Then I'll go on a long, leisurely walk and then end the day with a wonderful family dinner. What are you going to do with your day of rest?

Hebrews 4:9-11
 There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall through following the same example of disobedience.

Exodus 33:14

And He said, "My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest."

Mark 6:31
And He said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a lonely place and rest a while." For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.

Isaiah 57:1-2
The righteous man perishes, and no man takes it to heart; And devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from evil, He enters into peace; They rest in their beds, Each one who walked in his upright way.

This song describes our day of rest perfectly...enjoy!!

Raymond's in his Sunday best

He's usually up to his chest in oil and grease

There's the Martin's walkin' in

With that mean little freckle-faced kid

Who broke a window last week

Sweet Miss Betty likes to sing off key

In the pew behind me

That's what I love about Sunday

Sing along as the choir sways

Every verse of Amazin' Grace

And then we shake the Preacher's hand

Go home, into your blue jeans

Have some chicken and some baked beans

Pick a back yard football team

Nothin' much of anything

That's what I love about Sunday

I stroll to the end of the drive

Pick up the Sunday Times

Grab a coffee cup

It looks like Sally and Ron

Finally tied the knot

Well, it's about time

It's 35 cents off a ground round

Baby, cut that coupon out

That's what I love about Sunday

Cat-napping on the porch swing

You curled up next to me

The smell of jasmine wakes us up

Take a walk down a back road

Tackle box and a cane pole

Carve our names in that white oak

And steal a kiss as the sun fades

That's what I love about Sunday, oh yeah

Oh, new believers gettin' baptized

Mommas hands raised up high

Havin' a Hallelujah good time

A smile on everybody's face

That's what I love about Sunday, oh yeah

Happy Love Day!

Hahaha so yes, me and my family have always called Valentines Day, "Love Day". Don't know why, don't know how it started, but that's our thing. So this morning, all you could hear was random, "Happy Love Day!" being said all through the house. It was really beautiful..

I know there are alot of mixed feelings/opinions about today. Some say the holiday is way to over-rated. Some say way too commercialized. Some say it's just one more stress. Some love it though! They really go all out with gifts, chocolate and the like, and really seek to make it special. Having all girls in our family, we tend to go with the loving the holiday part. When we were very young, it was our tradition to go to our Daddy's office the night before Valentine's and we would decorate his whole office with balloons, hearts, banners we had made, cards we had created, and of course, all his favorite candies scattered everywhere. It was so much fun for us to imagine his face when he would get to work the next morning. Then, on the actual day of Valentine's, we always dressed up super pretty and took him lunch. It made us feel so beautiful when he would compliment us on all our red and pink dresses and bows. One year we even wrote him a song, and we all 4 sang it for him in front of the whole office..."Buzz buzz buzz. Bee Bee Bee...Be our Valentine sweet Daaaaddyy!" Heheh oh my goodness I will never forget that :)
Well years have passed and no, we do not still go and sing buzz buzz buzz at his office ...but we have kept a few traditions. Each year, he presents us each with our favorite candy and a bandanna! We honestly thought he had forgotten this year, but sure enough, as we are all eating breakfast before school, he emerged from the garage holding each of our Valentines day presents! Ahhh..it's the little things like that that encourage my heart so much. Makes me remember what being a family is all about. Loving one another. Making cards, surprising each other, singing love songs all day...we are celebrating Jesus!He IS love! Love is of God. It's not about the candy or the roses. It's not about all the commercialized phrases or cards. It's about Him. His joy. His life. HIS love for us! I look around today, and I am surrounded by His love for me...through my family, through my friends, and yes....even through a soldier off fighting for our country in Afghanistan. Jesus' love is everywhere friends. I promise you, you don't need to look to far to find how much he treasures you.
Remember His love for you today!

Enjoy the rest of your evening! I am off to go running, then we are all going to enjoy a beautiful Valentine's Day "dinner date" as a family (another wonderful tradition!) Remember His Love!

Bandanna from Daddy :)

Roses and bear.... well yeah, those were kind of a huge surprise from someone else ;)

                                                 

Hahah I was literally speechless! SO surprised :)

Not giving up.

So here I am, 5:21am in the amorning, having the daily battle with myself. I don’t know why this is always happening, but it is. NO matter how many thousands of times I get my butt outside to that garage to workout, I always without fail have this time where I literally argue with myself about why I shouldn’t have to workout today. “I’ve been exercising like a maniac all week long…one day off won’t kill me”, or “I’m just soooo tired from sitting in nursing class all day, so I really need to rest and just watch a movie” or my personal favorite to use, “I’m just being way to hard on myself. I need to learn to say NO to things once in awhile!” Hahaha never had a problem saying “no” to going to the beach, or hanging out with my best friend all weekend, or talking to my boyfriend all night long. Nope, we’re all good there! But no, seriously…why?
Because I am afraid.

I am afraid of working hard sometimes. I am afraid of the pain and discomfort that I know I am going to feel while my heart rate is sky high, sweat is pouring into my eyes, and my legs and arms are shaking like noodles. Working out isn’t always fun ya’ll. Props to whoever leaps out of their warm cocoon of a bed out into the icy blast of that 5 am morning air, practically falling down the stairs because they are so anxious to start doing mountain climbers and other of P90X’s wonderful tortures. Hopping around to get their shoes on, dashing past the coffee…psh who needs that stuff? I am strong. I am all mighty. I need no coffee.

I’d love to personally meet that person at kick them in the teeth.

Just kidding. Please don’t ever do that ahahaha. But I am trying to make a point here. Doing what we know is right and good for us isn’t always easy. And I’m just using exercise as an example because that’s one of my main passions in life, and also one of my hardest things to beat. What’s yours? Maybe it’s choosing healthy foods? Maybe it’s studying for an exam rather than going out one night? Maybe it’s dealing with respecting others i.e. your spouse, your boss, your co-workers, your parents? Maybe it’s being faithful in your work…whatever is in your life, I know with absolute certainty that you encounter times when you honestly don’t give a crap about whatever it is you’re doing. You want to quit. You are ready to just up and leave. You feel completely justified in throwing in the towel, and you very well might be.

But is that what we were made for? Were we really created to just stop the second life got tough? Were we designed to just flop on our backs and surrender the moment opposition came our way? Absolutely not. Friends, let me tell you something. In my very short 19 years of life, I have learned many things about life, and what honoring the Lord is about. And in my searching the Word and examining and studying what the Lord may have made me to be like, I have come to find this: He made me to be strong. And not just physically. No, I was created to be physically, emotionally, and spiritually strong in my Lord, and in HIS mighty power! Think of Joshua. Here he was, a young man who suddenly, after following Moses, was called to lead Israel to the promised land after the Israelites had disobeyed God and were forbidden to enter Canaan. Joshua must’ve been scared out of his freakin’ mind. And When God came to Joshua and told him He was going to lead Israel, He didn’t give him a list of “Top Ten Leadership Qualities” to follow. He didn’t give him a 6-month budget plan. He simply said this: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

That is all we need ever know. The Lord is with us, and we have nothing to fear. When life get’s hard, and I assure you it most definitely will, call to mind this truth: You were made to be strong. You Christian, have the Holy Spirit within you, and He will supply you with all the guts, all the endurance, all the “I’m just gonna put my head down and run” drive you need. “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power!” Close your eyes. Breathe. Reach down in the deepest part of your being and call to mind who is running right next to you. Remember the One who is spurring you on and screaming encouragement into you ear. Lifting your weary spirit. When there seems to be no hope at all, think of your Savior and how he hung on that cross, hopeless and separated from the One He loved, His Father…just so you, my dear friend, might have a future and a hope. Salvation. Freedom. Joy. Intimacy with the Father. Oh, that beautiful, scandalous, unending love that the Father has lavished on us. Let that spur you on.

Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

The LORD is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary,

and his understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary

and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary,

and young men stumble and fall;

 but those who hope in the LORD

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint.