hiding the Word.

I remember when i was little, say 5 or 6, going to school and/or church and learning about hiding God’s Word in my heart. I continued to hear this throughout my life. But until about a month ago, did it really sink in what that meant. At a moment when life came rushing at me, and the very Scripture that I needed to be reminded of (that I hadn’t read in sooo very long) came to the forefront of my mind, did I understand the true meaning of it.

I have never been more grateful for the private, Christian education and church I grew up in that reiterated this concept over and over. It made me even more grateful for my third graders at church, and it made me value all of the times that i probably didn’t want to be at church as a teenager.

On a different note, i’m especially thankful for all the notes, texts and calls from so many that i love this week. i’m abundantly blessed.

peace.

in the midst of ensuing chaos in every facet of my life, i find peace.
this just goes to show how awesome God truly is and how faithful He has been to show me grace.

this week’s song is extra special to me because the first time i heard it i was traveling through South Africa. South Africa is and will always be special to me. Even now, I cry at how wonderful my trip there was, and how i’m still reaping the benefits of those (awesome, loves abundantly, my cup runneth over) children.

Enjoy.

You’re Beautiful.

I see Your face in every sunrise
The colors of the morning are inside Your eyes
The world awakens in the light of the day
I look up to the sky and say
You’re beautiful

I see Your power in the moonlit night
Where planets are in motion and galaxies are bright
We are amazed in the light of the stars
It’s all proclaiming who You are
You’re beautiful, You’re beautiful

I see you there hanging on a tree
You bled and then you died and then you rose again for me
Now you are sitting on Your heavenly throne
Soon we will be coming home
You’re beautiful, you’re beautiful

When we arrive at eternity’s shore
Where death is just a memory and tears are no more
We’ll enter in as the wedding bells ring
Your bride will come together and we’ll sing
You’re beautiful, You’re beautiful, You’re beautiful

I see Your face, You’re beautiful, You’re beautiful, You’re beautiful
I see Your face, You’re beautiful, You’re beautiful, You’re beautiful
I see Your face, I see Your face
I see Your face, You’re beautiful, You’re beautiful, You’re beautiful

where I belong.

this song has been part of my morning devotion the past week.
I just love it…so i thought i would share.

Sometimes it feels like I’m watching from the outside
Sometimes it feels like I’m breathing but am I alive
I won’t keep searching for answers that aren’t here to find

All I know is I’m not home yet
This is not where I belong
Take this world and give me Jesus
This is not where I belong

So when the walls come falling down on me
And when I’m lost in the current of a raging sea
I have this blessed assurance holding me.

All I know is I’m not home yet
This is not where I belong
Take this world and give me Jesus
This is not where I belong

When the earth shakes I wanna be found in You
When the lights fade I wanna be found in You

All I know is I’m not home yet
This is not where I belong
Take this world and give me Jesus
This is not where I belong

A trip does the heart well.

Some things just can’t be articulated. Take my trip to Colorado as an example.

Im so thankful that I could spend 8 short days with two of my best friends. Laughing until my sides hurt. Honest conversation. Cooking and baking. The ability to speak and act without judgment. Seeing them as parents and praying I’m as relaxed as they are. Getting to feel so proud of my friend when I saw his face as the operator of a Chick-fil-A. The best sangria. Spending the beginnings of the new year by having a family devotion. Talking out Gods wants for our life, praying over the year and each picking a goal we would like to meet.

These are just some of the things that I can write out, but can only truly be felt deep within the soul. I’m so thankful for these friendships.

I think when you find people who understand you and manage to always remind you of how important, loved and proud they are of you and you of them, you have to hold on to those friendships. Even when they move thousands of miles away. (and for those not thousands of miles away) :)

My heart is so grateful. Full. Overwhelmed with goodness. Just what I needed to begin this next semester (because it’s going to be a doozy).

 

 

today…

today,
i’m thankful for the friends that make me laugh,
the happiness i feel when i’m at church,
the joy i get in caring for others,
the love that fills my life,
and the direction that my life is going.

praising Jesus for the “new” in life.

the reality of my life

Last Friday, I had a classmate ask me to look and see if she had an ear infection. After checking her ear and realizing that yes, in fact, she did and would need antibiotics, I felt a sense of accomplishment. I am a nurse and not just in the hospital. I now know what to look for, what’s normal, abnormal, etc., for the ears, nose, mouth…and then I realized how awesome it is to have people who you can trust to care for you, I’m fortunate enough to call these people friends, cg members and professors.

I love that I can spend over 30 hours a week with some of these people and we can still laugh, cry or whine together. I love that when we’re up at 2:00 in the morning working on concept maps that are due by noon the following day we can still manage to make each other laugh through the insanity.

I’m also very grateful that when I’m not feeling so hot, due to some health issues, that my classmates pick up my slack and give endless grace. So very thankful.

Trying to soak up what seems to be flying by…thankful for so much.

truth.

no matter how long or how hard a situation or life is, persevere. because, when you get to the other side, when you see the bigger picture, it makes anguish, hurt, the tears and everything else worth it. so persevere.

bloopers.

this is a small compilation of some of the bloopers from a project my clinical group had to do on florence nightingale.

these are just a few of the people i get to do life with these days. we have a lot of fun.

a little update, if you will

I have so much to say, so much that I want to write down in words, but I simply do not have the time to do that. I really don’t have time to even compose this post, but figured I deserved a reading break.

I could never have imagined finding so much joy in nursing. But then again, I love serving people. So, I guess it makes sense that doing that for a living could bring about such joy. :)

So, instead of going on and on about how much I love nursing, instead I’ll make a short list.
I’m calling it,
you know you’re in nursing school when…

You can count the amount of hours you sleep each night on one hand.
You spend an eight-hour day in the hospital and come home to do four hours of paperwork.
You and your classmates have a mutual agreement to not talk the first hour of class, 0800-0900, the day after clinical because we’re so tired.
You’re jealous when someone else gets to perform an invasive procedure and you didn’t.
Your social life exists in extended lunch hours.
You add nap to your list of things to do each day, sometimes moving it to the top of the list.

Guess that’s enough for now. :)

i whole-heartedly, love nursing school.

it trumps everyone and everything else in my life.

because it’s a total God thing. and He reminds me of that every time I get on I-285.

thankful for the community, the skills i’m learning far beyond just “nursing” skills, and love. lots of love at GBCN.