Let your light shine!

I am blessed with a wonderful job that allows me to nurse college students at Georgia College and State University back to health.  It is fun - I get to see just how I acted when I was their age:) Now, being on the more mature side of things, I can have sympathy, laugh and cut up with them, but most importantly make a godly impression on them.   As I got to work this morning I received an email learning of the tragic death (via car accident) of two of our students.  I had the privilege of meeting one of them just yesterday.  He happened to be one of my patients yesterday afternoon.  Yes, he was horribly sick- but I did manage to make him smile before he left.  He was supposed to come back today for follow up but after receiving the email notifying us of his death, I suddenly remembered I would never see him again...or would I? 

We are very busy this time of year, seeing anywhere from 80-90 students a day.  So addressing their medical needs is really all we have time for.  This young child's death has made me aware of what kind of impression I leave with these kids because nobody is promised tomorrow.  I pray he knew God as his Savior and that I will see him again...in heaven.  I vow, today, that no matter if I am on student number 5 or 50...I will give them my undivided attention during the short time I have with them, I will have a Christ like attitude...no matter what theirs is.  In my 15 or so minutes with them I will be a true reflection of Christ!  These seem like high standards to set for myself...but nothing compared to what God has done for me! I thank God for allowing me to meet this young lad! I praise Him also for making me more aware of His light that needs to always be visible in me...no matter what the situation is... so others can come to know Him through me!

Life and Death

On this day, 10 years ago, marked a very tragic event for our nation. I remember the day very clearly.  I had woken up early to prepare for my nursing clinical at Central State Hospital.  We were on the pediatric unit working with children who were severely physically and mentally handicapped. I was very nervous about how I would handle even being there let alone the capability to help these fragile little ones.  The loud cries of young ones that aren't even able to be interpreted followed by their loud bursts of laughter explained exactly what my emotions were like on this day.  I remember specifically being in the room with a baby who suffered from Shaken Baby Syndrome and thinking how on earth could something so violent ever be done to an innocent child.  I was brought to tears while holding this baby who couldn't even look at me and focus because her eyes wandered to and fro.  The feelings of love for this baby were unexplainable.  I clinched my belly and suddenly was brought back to a hapiness yet nervousness like no other.   The baby growing inside of me...would it be normal? would it have some chronic illness like these babies I am faced with today?, would it look and act like me or her father?  These questions ran rampant through my mind.  I was an emotional wreck yet elated to even be pregnant. We had tried for quite some time (years), even used medicines to help this along, had the tests to rule out any physiological problems and so on.  It was just the day before at my routine physical when I was told the news I was expecting.  I had no clue!  Really!  People are always skeptical when they hear this...even me- until it happened.

It was mid morning at Central State when I was holding this young one when the television in the room caught my attention with breaking news.  I saw where the first plane had hit the World Trade Center...disbelief....then on live footage I witnessed the second plane hit.  I was standing beside a physician who had tuned out his medical sense and was struck with sadness. It wasn't long before it was assumed it was terroristic in nature due to other events unfolding.  It seemed as if time stood still, everyone was glued to the television.  I selfishly remember thinking...how can today be so sad for me when I was on cloud nine just yesterday?  This was only the beginning of the struggle of this nation.  This tragic event marks the pulling together of a nation that I am so blessed to be a citizen of.

Trials and tragedy in my personal life have brought me closer to my Savior, Jesus Christ.  I pray that this ten year old tragedy will be the painful circumstance allowed by God to change our conduct and character as a nation. 

Life and death can occur so quickly and unexpectedly! My blessing of life inside of me on this day ten years ago helped me emotionally process this catastrophic event!  I look at my 9 year old today and it brings back such a wide range of emotions...  love outweighing them all!

Spaghetti Brain

Ever heard the saying "men are like waffles and women are like spaghetti"?  The explanation behind this is very interesting.  If you look down on a waffle, you see several squares surrounded by walls.  This is used as an analogy to describe the way men think...they can only think of one thing at a time- that is whatever box they are in at that moment.  Women, on the other hand, are likened to a plate of spaghetti noodles!  How appealing, ha?  Our brains think of so many things at once that when we are on one thought process we jump right to the next...and then the next...and then the overlapping intertwining of all of the thoughts becomes the infamous multi-tasking.  The noodle idea comes into play when you try to follow one noodle on a plate of spaghetti, you can't get to the end of that noodle without bumping into several other noodles along the way. As a wife, mom, friend, sister, active member in church, etc...my spaghetti brain gets the best of me!  Oh to be a simple-minded waffle brain! 

There have been several events recently that remind me that I am thinking and trying to do too many things at once.  For example, I was searching the kitchen high and low for our jar of peanut butter a few days ago.  It usually stays in our corner lazy-susan cabinet.  The kids were sitting at the bar in the kitchen awaiting their delicious and nutritious fluff-n- nutter sandwiches.  So I begin looking feverishly in the fridge, freezer, all of the cabinets and boom... out of "nowhere" there sits my lonely jar of peanut butter in the cabinet I keep my glass cups.  I see it there, knowing the kids are watching...I debate whether to sneak it out without them knowing I had mindlessly left it there on mistake the last time I used it.  By the way, my daughter, 9 years old, has caught on  well to the fact that I am very forgetful. So I hear snickering and realize I was busted!  I have done things of this nature before but NEVER twice in the same week.  Wednesday night before church, I reheated some taco meat for my son to have a left over soft taco.  I promise I do cook real meals on occasion!  All was fine and good!  We returned from church and got the kids in the bed.  I decided I would indulge in a bedtime bowl of cereal.  I opened the cabinet and located just beside the stack of bowls sits this bag of shredded cheese.  I think to myself...how on earth did this happen again?  But luckily, there were no witnesses this time so I was safe. 

So...in this crazy thing called life, always make time for down time and enjoy your spaghetti and waffles! 

Every time I hear the song by Dave Barnes "God Gave me You"...I think of how blessed I am to have my husband as my balance.  He is a free-spirited, corny but funny, kid at heart kind of guy.  He is always trying to make me laugh.  Trying being the operative word-sometimes it works...other times it doesn't go so well.  I am a purpose driven, business like, get it done and get it done quickly kind of person.  My kids would much rather hang out with him...can you understand why?  :)  When I've had a bad day or upset about something, he sends  texts to cheer me up...something to make me laugh-  like this ridiculous pic...the caption  under this one was "Lovin' you". 


"God Gave Me You" lyrics...enjoy

I’ve been a walking heartache
I’ve made a mess of me
The person that I’ve been lately
Ain’t who I wanna be

But you stay here right beside me
Watch as the storm blows through
And I need you

God gave me you for the ups and downs
God gave me you for the days of doubt
For when I think I’ve lost my way
There are no words here left to say, it’s true
God gave me you

There’s more here than what we're seeing
A divine conspiracy
That you, an angel lovely
Could somehow fall for me
You’ll always be love’s great martyr
Ill be the flattered fool
and I need you

God gave me you for the ups and downs
God gave me you for the days of doubt
Find More lyrics at www.sweetslyrics.com
For when I think I’ve lost my way
There are no words here left to say, it’s true
God gave me you

On my own I’m only
Half of what I could be
I can’t do without you
We are stitched together
And what love has tethered
I pray we never undo

God gave me you for the ups and downs
God gave me you for the days of doubt
God gave me you for the ups and downs
God gave me you for the days of doubt
For when I think I’ve lost my way
There are no words here left to say, it’s true
God gave me you, gave me you.
Gave me you.


I love my hunk a' burning love!