My President

Tonight was my President's final State of the Union Address. I know he's not popular with the majority of America . . . at least according to the polls, but I'm proud to say I voted for him both times!! : ) He's my President - not just because he's from Texas or because his daddy's Presidential Library is at my Alma mater (Gig'em, Ags!!). I appreciate him because he stands up for his beliefs and has shown great faith in the midst of much persecution and many trials. I may not agree with everything he's done in office, but I'm so grateful that God put him in charge of our country back in 2000. No other president since Pearl Harbor has had to lead our nation through such trials. We've truly been blessed to have a Godly leader - a man who prays for our country.

And, let's not forget the support he has always gotten from his praying wife. She's not one to take the lime-light or be the center of attention, but she's always in the background supporting and praying for our President.

I believe that the verses Mordecai tells Esther in Esther 4 apply to President and Mrs. Bush: "'And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?'" (vs. 15b) God is in complete control . . . even of presidential elections! This gives me confidence for the next 4 years, but it doesn't negate the need for all of us to pray for the man He wants to lead our country next.

(OK, I'm getting off my soap box now.) :~)

Quick Trip

This has been a whirlwind week, and it's only Wednesday! :-) Sunday morning, I braved the snow and headed to the airport in Raleigh for a fast trip home. As usual, I got the seat by the person wanting to share her life story. I wasn't particularly in the mood to sit and listen, but trapped in a steel can 30,000 feet above the ground, what are you gonna do?!? :) We did finally arrive at DFW where my sweet sister was waiting for us to go to Tyler.

Our Mema was in one of the Tyler hospitals with newly diagnosed cancer and was scheduled for a major surgery first thing Monday morning to try and remove as much of the cancer as possible. We found out Monday afternoon that it was too widespread for removal, so the surgeon closed her up and referred her to the oncologist. Obviously, this was VERY discouraging news for the family. My dad, uncles, Papa Joe, and Mema were scheduled to meet with this doctor this evening at 6PM (central time) to get a plan together, so I'm waiting to hear the latest.

I arrived back in North Carolina this afternoon to several loads of laundry and empty kitchen cabinets. So, amidst the grocery shopping and loads of laundry, I just sat down to have some time to listen to God. I've been studying Colossians with the Frontline services at my church in Virginia via the internet. But before I started reading today, I prayed for God to show me to what He wanted me to read. I was needing some comfort and peace after the emotionally exhausting past week and a half. Here's where He led me:

There is a time for everything, and a season for every
activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

--Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Then, I read:

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Come and see the works of the Lord, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire. 'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.' The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

--Psalm 46

Talk about encouraging!! Please pray for my family when

we cross your mind. Thank you!! :-)

Happy Thought

When I have a lot on my mind, I LOVE to go to the beach, watch the waves, and talk to God for a while. Well, that's what I did for a couple of hours this afternoon . . . and yes, it was quite cold out there!! :) But, I got to see the coolest thing. Right before I left, two dolphins started swimming across in front of me - very close to the shore. Then they started jumping and playing in the waves. It was SO FUN to watch them! Once they finished playing, they swam on down the beach out of my sight, so I came back home. Once again, good times at the beach . . . even in the middle of January! Have a wonderful week.

Chapters

The past 18 months I've been traveling around the country - well, at least up & down the east coast - working in some different NICU's. I've gotten to have SO many wonderful experiences and made some wonderful friends that will always remain special to me.

This chapter of my life may be coming to a close soon. I'm not sure how much longer I'll be a travel nurse; I'm thinking about settling down somewhere to be staff at a hospital again. Several different things I've been thinking & praying about recently have made me come to this conclusion - the biggest of which is my desire to find a church home where I can get involved in long term ministry again. Not knowing where I'll be in 3 months can make it difficult for real involvement. As much fun as I've been having, I've missed having a church family.

So, as it looks like I have some decisions to make over the next several months, I again ask for your prayers - for clear direction from God and for a willingness on my part to follow whole-heartedly wherever He leads me. Thank you!

(Hopefully I'll have some time this next week to go do some more exploring and take some more pictures for you!! Have a wonderful day!) :-)

"I AM"

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;" - Isaiah 43:2-3

"Again the high priest asked him, 'Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?' 'I am,' said Jesus." -Mark 14:61-62

" 'I am the Alpha and the Omega,' says the Lord God, 'who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.' " -Revelation 1:8

Pencil marks on a wall I wasn't always this tall,
You scattered some monsters from beneath my bed,
You watched my team win, You watched my team lose,
You watched when my bicycle went down again,

CHORUS:
And When I was weak unable to speak,
still I could call You by name,
and I said “Elbow healer, Superhero,
come if You can,” and You said “I am”

Only 16, life is so mean,
what kind of curfew is at ten PM
You saw my mistakes, You watched my heart break
Heard when I swore I’d never love again

CHORUS:
When I was weak, unable to speak,
still I could call You by name,
and I said “Heart-ache Healer, Secret-keeper,
be my Best Friend” and You said “I am”

You saw me wear white, by pale candlelight,
I said forever to what lies ahead
two kids and a dream, with kids that can scream
too much it might seem when it’s two AM

CHORUS:
when I am weak, unable to speak,
still I will call You by name.
“Oh Shepherd, Savior, Pasture-maker,
hold on to my hand,” and You say “I am.”

The winds of change, And circumstance
blow in and all around us so we find a foothold that’s familiar,
And bless the moments that we feel You nearer

Life had begun, I was woven and spun,
You let the angels dance around the throne,
who can say when, But they’ll dance again,
when I am free and finally headed home

CHORUS:
I will be weak, unable to speak,
still I will call You by name
“Creator, Maker, Life-sustainer,
Comforter, Healer, My Redeemer,
Lord and King, Beginning and the End, I am, yes, I am.” (song by Nichole Nordeman)

Resolutions

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

I hope you've had a good day welcoming 2008. We all celebrated at work last night with "champagne" (sparkling white grape juice - we were at work after all!) at midnight. Someone had brought a bunch of plastic champagne glasses and passed them out so we could all poke our heads out in the hall and have a toast to 2008. It was fun. And of course (as with any good nurse party), there was MUCH food to be eaten!! :) We may not have gotten to see the big ball drop in NYC (or the big acorn drop in Raleigh), but it was a good night. The babies were all fairly well behaved.

Did you write out New Year resolutions growing up? Do you still? We did, and then I must have stopped some time during the college years. I guess I didn't want ANY unnecessary writing or reading! :) I started back last January, but my list was short. I only had 3!! (fewer to not keep) Well, when I got up this afternoon, I decided to write another 3 for this year. On December 31st of this year, I hope to be able to look back and see that God helped me meet and keep these few goals.

I'm not saying that you have to write down personal goals for 2008, but I am suggesting that you set aside a few minutes to think and pray about what God would like for you to achieve in the coming year. I'm looking forward to what God has in store for each of us in 2008. I love the 1st day of the year because it's like we all have a fresh, clean slate to make something wonderful out of the coming year. It's exciting! It makes me think of the quote from Anne of Green Gables, "Tomorrow's a fresh day with NO mistakes in it . . . yet." :) I hope and pray that you have a wonderful year full of happiness, contentment, and love of family & friends. Have a fantastic 2008!!!!