Well over the past few hours my life has truly changed in the blink of an eye.
Graduation is over and I'm officially a Penn State graduate. I didn't get my alumni sweatshirt yet but I can barely believe its time for that.
I have a job! I will be working in the Emergency Department of Pinnacle Community General! I am absolutely tickled to be working here because the department has a wonderful training program and its the hospital Matt is at most often for work. I start June 6th and its hard to believe I have a big-girl job now.
Matt broke his foot. BOO. We had a bonfire at our place last night to celebrate graduation. Well Matthew and Jeremy (my brother) were wrestling for fun and the story goes, they both landed on Matt's left foot. He has what they call a Lisfranc fracture, which is a dislocation and fracture of the metatarsal joint in the foot. For poor Matthew it was all 5 metatarsal joints. (x-ray picture to come) He went into the ER last night and had the dislocation reduced but he will need surgery to get a stabilizing pin sometime within the next week. This most likely means he will be out of work and possibly school for a few months because of the recovery time.
Please pray for us. If you know Matt, you know it will be very difficult for him to take it easy and keep his foot elevated etc. He isn't one to sit around at all and he's likely to go insane if he doesn't have some type of project to do. Thankfully this week we had both already taken vacation and he is able to rest up now and worry about things later.
Thank you Jesus that I have the nursing knowledge and loving heart to care for my bum-foot husband :)
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
hunger and thirst
Love hurts. It's scary. It requires trust. Real love is hard and a lot of work.
How do you keep a relationship strong? Some would say "We just keep falling in love."
The God of heaven is inviting me to keep falling in love with Him. He attaches a promise to that invitation, a promise of a blessing. Its the blessing I've been craving. When I desire God more than anything, when we commit with our lives to keep falling in love, He comes and fills up our hearts.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, because they will be filled. Matthew 5:6
We live in a society where many of us never hunger or thirst for anything. We never allow ourselves to physically experience either one. We dirve through a fast-food restaurant just before we think we might have a hunger pang. So this idea of feeling desperate for food or drink already seems weird.
To hunger and thirst for the righteousness of God is to desire Him more than anything. It is longing for His consistent presence and His input in your life, just like my consistent need for food.
So, how do I grow close to God? By choosing daily to deny myself something that is permissible but not beneficial. By making this intentional sacrifice for the sole purpose of growing closer to God. After all, Jesus himself said, "If anyone would come after me, he must denyhimself and take up his cross daily and follow me" Luke 9.23
But self-control is hard. We don't like to deny ourselves. But there is another level of self-control that too few are able to find. "So I say, live by the spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature" Galatians 5:16 In other words, live with the willingness to walk away when the Holy Spirit nudges you and says, "The food choice is permissible but not beneficial - so don't eat it."
So the obvious question is how can we tune into theses nudges of the Holy Spirit? "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in touch with the Spirit." Galatians 5:25 We read the Bible with the intention of putting into practice what we read while asking the Holy Spirit to direct us in knowing how to do this.
Its not easy.It's not easy relying on the Holy Spirit to direct us into wise choices. It's not easy to dare to actually live a life in which we put Scripture to action. Especially Scriptures about self-control. It's not easy but it is possible.
How do you keep a relationship strong? Some would say "We just keep falling in love."
The God of heaven is inviting me to keep falling in love with Him. He attaches a promise to that invitation, a promise of a blessing. Its the blessing I've been craving. When I desire God more than anything, when we commit with our lives to keep falling in love, He comes and fills up our hearts.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, because they will be filled. Matthew 5:6
We live in a society where many of us never hunger or thirst for anything. We never allow ourselves to physically experience either one. We dirve through a fast-food restaurant just before we think we might have a hunger pang. So this idea of feeling desperate for food or drink already seems weird.
To hunger and thirst for the righteousness of God is to desire Him more than anything. It is longing for His consistent presence and His input in your life, just like my consistent need for food.
So, how do I grow close to God? By choosing daily to deny myself something that is permissible but not beneficial. By making this intentional sacrifice for the sole purpose of growing closer to God. After all, Jesus himself said, "If anyone would come after me, he must denyhimself and take up his cross daily and follow me" Luke 9.23
But self-control is hard. We don't like to deny ourselves. But there is another level of self-control that too few are able to find. "So I say, live by the spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature" Galatians 5:16 In other words, live with the willingness to walk away when the Holy Spirit nudges you and says, "The food choice is permissible but not beneficial - so don't eat it."
So the obvious question is how can we tune into theses nudges of the Holy Spirit? "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in touch with the Spirit." Galatians 5:25 We read the Bible with the intention of putting into practice what we read while asking the Holy Spirit to direct us in knowing how to do this.
Its not easy.It's not easy relying on the Holy Spirit to direct us into wise choices. It's not easy to dare to actually live a life in which we put Scripture to action. Especially Scriptures about self-control. It's not easy but it is possible.
Monday, January 3, 2011
new year
Well it's a new year which means resolutions. My favorite definition of resolution is "reduction to a simpler form; conversion." I don't like the traditional idea of making a change at new years, so I don't usually take on a major change.
I think my "resolve" to make a change this year just coincidentally seems to be happening over the beginning of the year.
Our church is doing a sermon series called "roll the dice." Pastor David challenges that of you've tried everything else to fulfill your life and you still feel empty or lost why not roll the dice and try God. Give God a chance to make a difference and prove your preconceived notions wrong. Initially I didn't think this series would have much of an application to me, and as usual LCBC surprised me and really spoke to my heart. They talked about giving God your journey this past Sunday. It immediately hit me; I need to be honest with myself. Recently, I heard someone say "if you want to see God laugh tell Him your plans."
My "plan" has always included God but I never wholeheartedly follow after him. I'm realizing this is a big problem in my life and my lukewarm relationship with Him has translated into a lukewarm life. I'm taking this year, to make a BIG change. I want God to make big improvements in my life. In my attitude, in my marriage, at my job, in my last semester of school and so forth.
I'm also planning some other changes but I don't think I'm going to divulge them quite yet. I think I will make more of a effort and I will be more motivated if I am doing it for me. I don't just want to have the satisfaction of telling people my goal I'm hoping they'll just see the changes in my life.
One last thing, my cousin Michelle recently wrote a New Years post about choosing one word that would define the difference you will make for yourself and other in the next 12 months. The idea came from a movement called: myoneword.org. After careful consideration I think my word will be "crave." More specifically what I choose to crave. Now I crave a job after graduation, time with my husband, cell service to use my iphone, and even food. But I want to make this year the year that I crave God before and exponentially more than anything else.
I think my "resolve" to make a change this year just coincidentally seems to be happening over the beginning of the year.
Our church is doing a sermon series called "roll the dice." Pastor David challenges that of you've tried everything else to fulfill your life and you still feel empty or lost why not roll the dice and try God. Give God a chance to make a difference and prove your preconceived notions wrong. Initially I didn't think this series would have much of an application to me, and as usual LCBC surprised me and really spoke to my heart. They talked about giving God your journey this past Sunday. It immediately hit me; I need to be honest with myself. Recently, I heard someone say "if you want to see God laugh tell Him your plans."
My "plan" has always included God but I never wholeheartedly follow after him. I'm realizing this is a big problem in my life and my lukewarm relationship with Him has translated into a lukewarm life. I'm taking this year, to make a BIG change. I want God to make big improvements in my life. In my attitude, in my marriage, at my job, in my last semester of school and so forth.
I'm also planning some other changes but I don't think I'm going to divulge them quite yet. I think I will make more of a effort and I will be more motivated if I am doing it for me. I don't just want to have the satisfaction of telling people my goal I'm hoping they'll just see the changes in my life.
One last thing, my cousin Michelle recently wrote a New Years post about choosing one word that would define the difference you will make for yourself and other in the next 12 months. The idea came from a movement called: myoneword.org. After careful consideration I think my word will be "crave." More specifically what I choose to crave. Now I crave a job after graduation, time with my husband, cell service to use my iphone, and even food. But I want to make this year the year that I crave God before and exponentially more than anything else.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
thanksgiving
I am thankful for...
My SAVIOR
My loving, supportive, hard-working, husband
My mother, father, sister and brother
My grandmother and grandfather
My mother-in-law, her boyfriend, my sisters-law, my father-in-law and my grandparents-in-law
My friends from State College, from nursing school, and friends at work
My good paying, flexible, close-to-my-home, enhancing-my-education jobs
My warm, inviting, full-of-family, beutiful home
My ability to walk, run, jump, talk, scream, sing, hear, feel, smell, and taste
and soooooooooo much more
but I'm thankful for these things everyday, not just on this day of pilgram and indian celebration. So
Happy Turkey Day
My SAVIOR
My loving, supportive, hard-working, husband
My mother, father, sister and brother
My grandmother and grandfather
My mother-in-law, her boyfriend, my sisters-law, my father-in-law and my grandparents-in-law
My friends from State College, from nursing school, and friends at work
My good paying, flexible, close-to-my-home, enhancing-my-education jobs
My warm, inviting, full-of-family, beutiful home
My ability to walk, run, jump, talk, scream, sing, hear, feel, smell, and taste
and soooooooooo much more
but I'm thankful for these things everyday, not just on this day of pilgram and indian celebration. So
Happy Turkey Day
Friday, November 19, 2010
holidays
I'm feeling totally bah-humbug this year. I'm not looking forward to the holidays for anything other than a few days off. I just want rest; I want complete rejuvenation over the next week and the month off for Christmas. I just need a vacation from everything.
I hate the American tradition of presents and giving. It's to much. It's just a drain on our time and money. There are thousands of impoverished people around the world in dire need of their next meal. Yesterday on the news they were talking about how empty most of the local food banks are because of the increasing number of people needing food and the decreasing number of people giving. There are many families even in our own backyard who won't have enough to feed their family over the holidays.
I think I need a total change this year. I would rather give to those who need this year and see a difference made. I want to help others instead of recieve things that I really didn't even want or need in the first place. People have been asking me what is on my list and honestly I can't think of one thing. But I can tell you what is on my heart, those who are less fortunate than me.
I hate the American tradition of presents and giving. It's to much. It's just a drain on our time and money. There are thousands of impoverished people around the world in dire need of their next meal. Yesterday on the news they were talking about how empty most of the local food banks are because of the increasing number of people needing food and the decreasing number of people giving. There are many families even in our own backyard who won't have enough to feed their family over the holidays.
I think I need a total change this year. I would rather give to those who need this year and see a difference made. I want to help others instead of recieve things that I really didn't even want or need in the first place. People have been asking me what is on my list and honestly I can't think of one thing. But I can tell you what is on my heart, those who are less fortunate than me.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
see the blessing
I've recently been given many opportunities to "see the blessing" in a situation that is less than satisfactory to me. How do I make myself see the positive and not immediately focus on the negative. I have a tendency to make a habit of pointing out the good in other people's circumstances but when it comes to myself my view is clouded by the bad.
God give me an attitude of gratitude because I am blessed more than I know sometimes. Thank you for the people you put in my life that show me the pros when all I can see is the cons.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
God give me an attitude of gratitude because I am blessed more than I know sometimes. Thank you for the people you put in my life that show me the pros when all I can see is the cons.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
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