Mish Mash

• Wow. Sorry for my lack of posts.  Not sure what I've been up to thats caused the quiet blogging!
•  I think I'm in a daze.  Life is just flying by.  Everything seems like a blur.  I'm not gonna complain because I'm really looking forward to winter break.  But then again, I don't like to miss the moments, and I have been.  I can't believe tomorrow is November already.  Christmas is less than 2 mos away!!!
• Short up-date on life: College is going ok.  Not great.  Not horrible.  Just OK. I'm learning to take one day at a time.  I don't look forward and I don't look back.  I'm also learning how great of a procrastinator that I am...like right now... :S
• I need to learn to find a balance tho.  I'm having a hard time balancing school work, social life, and my spiritual life.  first off, I probably put social life before school work, which would be obvious if you could see my grades!  (Funny how my fear of getting a B or lower has suddenly and magically disappeared!  Now all I care about is the 75% to pass!) I don't want to give up my social life, but then again I know I DON'T want to have to re-take any nursing class...so I better get my priorities straight. And as for my spiritual life, sadly enough, I've felt like if has suffered even more than my school work.  I always seem to push reading and praying off till the end of the day when I'm already exhausted and just wanna crawl in bed.  Which usually leads to me falling asleep while praying and I somehow always wake up in the middle of the night, in bed, with my lamp still on. I've been working on that tho.  And it's getting better.  Guess I would just ask for some prayers to get my focus back on what is most important in life because I know one thing is for certain: I would definitely much rather fail a nursing class, than fail in my relationship with Jesus Christ!
• Side-note: I can't even begin to write about how much I have felt God's quiet, assuring presence throughout the past few months.  Whether its giving me the knowledge to pass a quiz that I did not take adequate time to study for because I probably opted to spend time with friends instead, or blessing me with great instructors who have made this semester much easier than I anticipated, or giving me the confidence, peace, and grace to face clinical each week because I know without that I would be a disaster!  Or maybe it's an angel sent by Him to wake me up tues morning for clinical b/c I fell asleep praying the night before and failed to set my alarm... whatever it may be, they are quiet reminders that God IS with me.  And He WILL grant me the grace to get through these next 2 years if it continues to be His will!  That's what I cling to on days when I'm totally and completely overwhelmed!  (Which is another quiet assurance b/c I haven't had very many of those days...yet.)  God be praised!
• One of these days I'll maybe catch you up on all my social-happenings the past few weeks but right now I should get to some studying. :)
• Blessings in the rest of the week!

  Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
         ~ Ecclesiates 9:10

Idea

Sometimes all it takes is a simple idea.

That idea gets shared.

And the sharees enthusiastically encourage the sharer.

A date gets set.

Usually the same week because the excitement is just too much.

 

The simple idea turns into a night of priceless moments.

The moments create lasting memories.

And the memories strenthen a bond of friendship that is soo precious.

 

A clear, crisp, fall night.

Stars twinkling in the heavens.

A truck bed overflowing with blankets.

A fierce protector.

Quite moments. Loud laughter. Intimate talks.

A night filling our hearts with the Awsomeness of God our Creator.

Plus two wonderful ladies to share it with.

 

Go with the idea.

And enjoy the moments.

Oh...and don't forget to REPEAT! 

The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
Psalm 19:1



Minnesota

The other weekend I traveled to Winthrop, Minnesota for a dear friend's wedding.

Sadly enough it was the first time I'd ever been there, despite the fact that shared a friendship with someone from there for so long.  Guess it goes to show that friendships don't have to always require face-to-face meetings.  We are blessed with some pretty amazing technology to feed those friendships despite the long distances!  I am thankful for that.  And I'm thankful for the girl who did so well at using the technology to keep up with our friendship.  (I fail to do that so often...but not because I don't love her!)

To Lena: I'm sooo happy to see that God has given you a wonderful Godly man to be your husband.  You will be blessed.  And I'm so superly excited to have you only 1 hour away from me now!!  Can't wait to come visit and see you being a wonderful wife! ;)

To Amanda, the amazing girl who put up with me all the way to MN and back: I love you! Thanks for being willing to come along and keep me company.  One more moment to add to our growing list of memories together.  Next time we go to Culver's I won't forget what you want.  All I'll have to do is order two of what I like - Chicken tenders team scoupie meal, with cheese curds instead of fries, and vanilla ice cream in a dish with raspberries.  YUM!  Who knew good friends could grow the same taste buds?! ;)

 

 

Guilty or Not Guilty

If tried, would I/you be convicted of being a Christian?

Or is there not enough evidence?

Survived but still swimming

My first real clinical.
It was not as stressful as I anticipated.
I didn't get overly nervous.
I only had a tiny stomach ache.  But it passed.
To say I did everthing I should have, would be a lie.
I felt very unorganized.
I think I looked like a deer in the headlights all day long.
But it went well. 
I was pleased.
And I'm actually excited for next week. :)

I was for-worned that this is the week when it gets "real."
I'm beginning to realize why. 
I didn't think I would get too stressed, and I haven't until right now.
I'm in a bit of a panic mode.
I have two quizzes to study for and have very little time to do it.
I have 8 chapters to read and take notes on.
I have to write a "poem, song, or jingle" on a lung/thorax disease by tomorrow
And I'm stumped. And tired.  And grumpy.
My creative juices went bye-bye and won't come back.
Then I have to share it with the class.
And I'm nervous.
I'm low on sleep.  I feel like I could ralf.  And I just want to throw something.
And my family is coming over for birthdays tonight, so I need to put on a smile!
And do my homework later.

So with all this on my lap, I decided to post instead.
Hoping it would spark some creative vibes...but I'm not feelin 'em.
Who wants to write about a lung disease?
I mean really. 
How creative can that get?

Hoping to let off some frustration, instead of letting it off on someONE.
Do I feel better?
A little.  Not much.
Well, not really.
I still have all this work to do.
It's not going to go away.
I think I could still ralf.
Maybe I need to eat something. 
Something Healthy...
And I still don't have a smile.

But, even though I sound like a grumpy complainer, I want to do this.
And I WILL get through this.

And just since I feel negative right now, I will remind myself that
this is only the bottom of the mountain that I am about to climb!
So, I will just keep climbing, because I don't know any other way to reach the top!

Oh, and I guess I may as well do it with a smile... :)

Thoughtful Thurday: the Potter and the clay

Isaiah 64:8 (http://livininthelight.wordpress.com/page/2/)

If I am correct in this, most potters begin with a lump of clay.  But before they can mold it into anything, water must be added to make it the right consistency to be moldable.   Then, the clay must be centered perfectly on the pottery wheel, otherwise it will not turn out as desired.  The potter then begins to shape his clay.  This can be a long, rigorous, time-consuming process before the finished product can be turned into something of use.  Many times the clay does not turn into what the potter had intended for it to be.  Perhaps the clay didn't begin at the right consistency, or maybe there were some impurities in the clay - there could be many factors.  Sometimes the potter may even have to pound the clay back into a lump and all start over.  But with time, work, and patience, the clay can be shaped into a beautiful vessel. 

Know where this is going?  Yep, There's an anology! 

First, the Clay. It can be all types of consistencies and textures. Moist. Dry. Lumpy. Crumbly. Runny. Smooth. Watery. Stiff. Soft. Pliable...

We know that it begins out as a dry and stiff lump, and water must be added to make it moldable.  In our lives, we begin as dry, sinful clay.  God must add water to our lives before we can be shaped, and we must soak up this water.  God's water is His living Word.  And in His word, we can learn about the salvation He provides to each one of us. Yes, we can read it and we can know it.  But we have to apply it to be able to be shaped. 

 

First off, Reminder #1 to us: We begin as a lump. We are NOTHING without God, our Potterer.  

 

Reminder #2: God expects us to do our part - To follow and apply His Word.  We must water, and He will grant the increase (or in this case, the beautiful vessel).

 

Once the water is added, God pounds and kneads the clay until it is soft a pliable.  Sometimes this can be painful.  Tough.  Humbling.  But it's necessary inorder for the vessel to be molded.

 

Reminder #3: For God to work in our lives, we need to be soft and pliable Christians.

 

So where are you at today? Where am I? Am I a dry, stiff Christian. Unwilling to change in my ways?  Unwilling to obey God's Word and His will for my life? When I am seeking God's will, do I go with an open and willing heart, or with my mind already made up? Do I treat others in genuine love, or in a judgmental, harsh way?

Or maybe I'm a lumpy and moist Christian with parts that are soft and pliable, but when a lump comes, I don't take the time to smooth it out, instead I just move on and let the lump stay. 

Or maybe I'm a watered down, runny Christian, and I am willing to accept anything and everything, even if it doesn't match up completely to God's word.  Maybe I've let a little too much of the world into my life.  Or maybe I take God's word and adjust it to my liking, instead of how God meant for it to be.

 

Reminder #4: Be observant of our consistency of clay, and be willing to put forth the effort to become soft and pliable again, if that is not where we find ourselves.

 

It's also important that the clay is centered on the wheel, inorder for it to be shaped symmetrically.  The wheel is Christ.  In our lives, are we centered in Christ?  Is He our focus everyday, in every aspect of our lives?  Do we seek to be like Christ and to love like Christ? 

 

Reminder #5 Let's walk life with Christ at the center.  Focused, soley on Him.

 

Now look at Jeremiah 18:1-6.

The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,

Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.

Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.

And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.

In this passage, God sent Jeremiah into a potter's shop.  There, he saw a potter working at his wheel, molding clay into a vessel.  But as he was working, something went wrong with the clay, and the potter had to start over making another vessel.  This time, the potter was satisfied.  God then reminds Jeremiah that He can and does hold the clay in his hand just as the potter was holding and molding the vessel. 

Reminder #6:  God holds us in His hands. 

It's also important to notice that the potter didn't just fling the clay aside, and mark it as useless when it didn't go as planned.  Instead, he started over, re-molded and shaped it, worked with it until he was satisfied.  That's exactly how God is with us. Sometimes we find ourselves struggling - emotionally, spriritually, physically.  Sometimes we forget our focus and veer off on the wrong path.  Or sometimes, we may even develop cracks in our vessel.  But Praise the Lord that He is willing to aid us and He will carry us through those times in our life if we continue to trust Him.  And if we require re-shaping, God is willing if we have the right heart.

Reminder #7: God is a loving, merciful God.  He will never leave us or forsake us.

Think of all of the people that God is molding, shaping, and re-shaping daily.  He is continually shaping His people.  That's how much He loves us.  His desire for us is to be in Heaven with Him, and He will work with us constantly to help us reach Heaven.  But, we must remember that a soft, and pliable heart is necessary to allow the Potter to shape us into the beautifully, unique, and Godly vessels He has prepared for us.

Let us be thankful and Praising God that we are in His hands.  OUR LIVES are in the hands of an Almighty, All-knowing, and All-seeing God!! 

*God put it on my heart one night to look into the meaning behind the Potter and the clay.  It's been a great refocus for me, so I thought I would share it. Would love to hear your comments and encouragement!  My goal is to do a weekly "thoughtful thursday" to help me keep my focus on Spiritual things, but I won't make any promises...

B & N Wedding

Weddings. It's such a happy time.  Joyous laughter.  Genuine smiles.  Words of encouragement.  So many details.  Surrounded by people you love.  It's a good thing.  And it's a God-thing. 

The day turned out to be perfect minus the fact that it was a tiny bit too sunny. But we made do!  The wedding party was awesomely patient with me and not a complaint was heard.  Thanks guys!  I had a blast and the pictures turned out much better than I was anticipating!  And I didn't even get a tiny bit nervous - which I can only give credit to the Lord for that!  He calmed my nerves and gave me the strength...because I seriously was freaking out the days before!  I also want to thank my awesomely wonderful assistant, Sarah!  She did a fantastic job with my poor teaching skills and slightly flighty demeanor!  Can't wait until next time! ;)