The Only Thing

I heard this song the other day on the radio and I was struck by the truth of what it said: The only thing good in me is Jesus. The first thing that came to my mind is that I am a good person...right? But then I thought, I am my best because I have given my life to HIM. I am a nurse because I was called to care for others. I help people as often as I am able because I feel like this is my way to honor God. Sure I am a good person, I am tender hearted and love PEOPLE. But I think that I am good or give my best to honor HIM.
That being said, I cant tell you how many times I sort of cringe when someone goes on and on about appreciating what I have done for them. Many times, I honestly, consciously do things because I think its the right thing to do. I am in no way perfect. I am not always unselfish. I am not always kind. I am not always happy. I do not always do or say the right things. BUT when I do something that is right and in accordance with God's Word, HIS Grace shines through...that's what that person is seeing.
This verse sums it up: If you could walk the hallways of my heart. And see things as they really are. I wonder if you might be surprised. Seeing faded walls of pride and fear. Rooms I've filled with faithless tears. And corners where I've stood in compromise. But you'd see the work His grace has done. You'd know just how far I've come.

I think back over the years of my life and I feel really good about some things I've done. But those not so great moments, actions or the poor decisions I made glare out at me. When I look back on those times, I don't feel that that sickening, sinking sensation that I used to feel. I have already been Forgiven for all that. However, I know to completely forget all of those life lessons would be foolish in my opinion. Dwelling on the past is another foolish decision. So, if I choose to take a look at some of the negative things of my past, I have to think, "what did I learn from that? How did God use this for good?" I have learned some really great lessons! Too bad I can't pass all this wisdom on to my children and have them just "take my word for it".

I have come such a long way. Back when I was 12 years old I was baptized for the first time. And I say for the first time because I was baptized again when I was 18. Truly, I would not mind being baptized AGAIN! Not that baptism MAKES you a better Christian. I would just like to publicly show that I have TRULY given my life to Jesus. When I was 12, I don't think I REALLY could grasp what it meant to have a relationship with God. When I was 18, I definitely believed that Jesus died for my sins, but I still didn't have that close personal relationship and FAITH (as I know it now). I surely had not realized that talking the talk, meant walking the walk.

After many trials and tribulations that I have had over the last handful of years, I think that I have become so much more committed to my relationship with God. I was spiritually broken and in some ways physically and emotionally broken as well. I was as low as I think I could get. I don't ever want to have to know if there is an EVEN LOWER point than the bottom that I met. Through my darkest of days, I prayed. Through the brighter days I prayed and thanked God for the glimpses of light. Through the much better days, I have seen how God has USED the darkness in my life to help others and to be a more loving, compassionate person. Hundreds of times, I have encountered people with similar issues that I experienced. I have been able to hold hands with people whose pain reeked out from their very pores. Pains that were not just physical but emotional and spiritual. I thanked God for giving me a heart and experience.

When I went through my darkest days, I NEVER thought that I would ever be grateful for having to claw my way out of the pit of despair. NEVER. NEVER. I never thought that all the tears I shed would ever be used to help quench someone else in their moments of despair. NEVER. But, again I say that I do truly believe that the Only Good in Me is Jesus. Without the Grace and love of God and his Holy Son, I would still be writhing in that pit. I would not have had hope. I would not have had peace. I would not have had loving support. No one PERSON could have pulled me through. Only God's Grace truly saved me.

A non-believer might read this and say, "This chick is diluted and crazed." And I would say to a non-believer,"I don't care what you think or say or do...I know where I came from, I know that my heart and my entire life has been changed because of my FAITH. And I know that when I cried out to Jesus to help save me....I was saved and had peace. This is not the kind of peace that is just quiet emptiness...this is an overwhelming knowledge that God was with me and that He would carry me through all of this....and He did!" I have felt pain, loneliness and anguish. I have thought that there were days that I would be better off dead. BUT...when I prayed...I didn't hurt so much. I didn't feel hopeless. I didn't think that an empty death was the answer. I found my relationship with Jesus. And if this doesn't sound cool or sounds weak and pathetic....that's what I used to be. But as I said before, no person, no judgemental PERSON could have ever saved me or given me peace. A non-believer can only wonder if what I am saying is true. A Christian would say, "Thank you Lord for your love and Grace. Thank you for making the only thing good in me, your Holy Son."

THE ONLY THING By Ronnie Freeman
I heard someone say the other day.
They'd seen in me true love displayed.
Blessed by something I had done for them.
No sooner had they said these words.
I found myself somehow disturbed.
Uneasy as I took their compliment.
Cause I know the heart inside this man.
I know the truth of who I am...

(Chorus)The only thing that's good in me is Jesus.
The only thing that's good in me is Jesus.
I know me well enough to know.
No matter what this life may show.
The only thing that's good in me is Jesus.
If you could walk the hallways of my heart.
And see things as they really are.
I wonder if you might be surprised.
Seeing faded walls of pride and fear.
Rooms I've filled with faithless tears.
And corners where I've stood in compromise.
But you'd see the work His grace has done.
You'd know just how far I've come.
In a thousand years.
When the dust of this world clears.
And I look back on my life.
And see in perfect light.

(Chorus)The only thing that's good in me is Jesus.
The only thing that's good in me is Jesus.
I know me well enough to know.
No matter what this life may show.
The only thing that's good in me is Jesus
The only thing that's good in me is Jesus.
The only thing that's good in me is Jesus.
I know me well enough to know.
No matter what this life may show.
The only thing that's good in me is Jesus

Excuse me, is that a donut on your hip?

Some time ago, I thought I was ready to take on the WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE! For some strange reason (be it hormones, thyroid or too many sweets) I have gained several pounds in the last 6 months. For my entire life (meaning after 15yrs old) I have always weighed 136lbs. I am almost 5'8". To look at me now, you would never guess that I weigh 151.9 lbs. Anyone with any kind of waist line would look at me and scoff. Well, scoffers....you just scoff away!!! I am just as tired of my extra weight as anyone else!!! I carry all of my weight right in the front...probably because that is where my babies stretched my poor precious belly skin out like a large basketball. My legs....alas, will always be chicken legs. I am really ok with that. Its the rolling belly that reminds me of the foothills of the Appalachian that bothers me. My stretch marks might make too good a trail for hikers.
This morning, I awoke at my usual time (but actually got out of bed this time!) at 0630hrs. I got dressed in my cycling garb and hit the bike trainer. I actually rode for 17 minutes. That's 2 whole more minutes than I had planned on riding. Honestly, I didn't get my heart rate up much. But the truth is, that I just wanted to get my joints and muscles used to repetitive rotations of the pedals. And believe me, all parts of my legs and feet groaned!!! But soon I was spinning.
I have been watching what I eat for a few days. The weekend kill me. Pete isn't the most healthy of eaters....pizza, bacon...whatever is good for clogging arteries. Of course he didn't force me to eat any of it...I'm WEAK!!! But in the mornings I have been so good! I have had yogurt and a breakfast bar. Part of my problem is that I get to where I feel like I am going to die about 10:30AM. My breakfast had worn off. So then I have to snack. I have been picking healthier snacks lately (a protein bar and some blue berries today)...but it hasn't always been this way for me. Those bite size candy bars...that which we give to our patients to show our love for them...too easy to snag for a quick PICK ME UP! Evil things!
This evening, I came home, ate spaghetti with meatballs for dinner. I had a Healthy Choice or Lean Cuisine for lunch...butternut squash ravioli...very tasty!! At any rate, after I ate, I felt like I needed to get in some more exercise time. We are all supposed to exercise a total of 30 minutes a day.
I asked Pete to hook up the pull behind trailer for Lyndi. Lila grabbed her bike (after much whining and crying about her helmet not doing right). Off we went on a Tour de Comer! Riding with a whiney 7 year old that insists that her life is miserable and she just cant do it is not really my idea of family quality time. But we all made it back home alive!!! Lila only cried 3 times during the whole jaunt. We rode for 40 minutes. I think I pedaled about 20 minutes of those 40! It was actually more painful trying to ride slow than it was to actually get out and ride!! But if I was able to burn at least one calorie....such is life huh?
So enough of what probably sounds like a bunch of fussing and whining on my part! I need to be accountable to someone! I'm hoping that perhaps getting the word out that I am tired of toting around my tube will keep me motivated. Plus, a friend of mine has asked me to consider doing a triathlon. I stressed my extreme concern over not being able to swim very well...she said I could swim in her family's pond. Reckon the bottom is all mucky and has weird creatures lurking in the mud?Hmmm?
Me a triathlon? A TRIATHLETE? That sounds really cool. Maybe I will be able to do it. Maybe I wont. But I am considering it. I have friends that have done such things. I also have friends that run marathons. Is it too far out to think that I could participate? We will see. Today is day ONE for me. I hope I make it to day TWO!! I mean day 22! :)

This and That

How about a little collective randomness? It's all I have to offer tonight. I used to have things to rant about.....Just having a complete thought these days...hmmm...
So, I'm completely burned out on hearing about the death of Micheal Jackson. I'm so tired of it, that I prefer to only speak of this individual (if I have to say ANYTHING at all!!) as MJ. When MJ died, several other famous individuals passed within days of the "Kind of Pop." Not much was said about any of those other famous people. What a shame too. Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett and Karl Malden (one of my favorites!!). I will never forget Farrah's performance in the movie "Extremities"! What a hard core stalker film! Farrah ends up showing her stalker who's the boss...a fire poker and bug spray in the eyes will get them every time! It was a thriller to say the least! Of course, there is the Charlie's Angels show...the greatest memory I have of that was the hair. I was so young then. I'm not going to begin to pretend that I remember a lot about it. I was more impressed with shows like CHIPS or EMERGENCY! Go figure! For a girl like me to remember hot law enforcement and EMS folks over a bunch of hip hugger wearing chicks!
This weekend we went to pick up our girlies from a week long stay at Grandma's house in Augusta! It was a long hard week for me. They drive me absolutely nuts when they are home, but it hurts my heart to have them away from me! Lyndi was thrilled beyond belief to see me! There is nothing better! Lila was excited and very loving...she sat with me a lot this weekend and scratched my back for me. She is such a love bug. Too bad she is bossy and rude to her little sister a lot of the time. They could be so good for each other! Best friends for life! Maybe one day!
But let me say that Grandma worked a miracle for us this weekend!! Lyndi has been paci FREE for one week! Tonight when she went to bed, she didn't even ask for it! She did hem and haw a good bit trying to get settled back into her own bed and room, but WHO CARES?!! SHE DOES HAVE A PACI!!! I was really beginning to think that she would be walking down the isle with her "Fassi" in her mouth...teeth all jacked up from having gnawed and sucked on that thing for too long!! Thank YOU GRANDMA!!! You may only have one nerve left in your who body after their visit...but you went the extra mile for us!
Tonight we met our new neighbors...all three! They seem like nice people. He is the new principle at the High School and she is an elementary school teacher. Their little girl is Lyndi's age. I had visions of those two growing up and getting into trouble with each other. I hope that's how it works out. I know that principles can be a lot like pastors and have short stays. Maybe they will call this their home for good. The principle told my girls that they could come over and play ANY TIME.....I told him that I thought he might come to regret that invitation, as my girls will probably drive them nuts. On the way over to their house, toting a plate of hot brownies and butter pecan icecream...Pete said that he thought we should go over and give our condolences to them...for having US as their neighbors! I promise, right here and right now...that I will TRY not to bug them or allow our children to bug them....too much! I doubt if they will ever hear a peep out of Pete. Not unless the principle decides to take up cycling as hobby!
Speaking of Cycling....I'm a cycling WIDOW this week! The Tour de France started up again! I could have sworn that it usually took place in April..but BEHOLD its in July! Pete even upgraded out tv selections so that he could watch it! Mr. Tightwad came off some money...for the TOUR. Hmmmm He reassured me that we will also be getting several other movie channels too....not that that makes a hill of beans when he is vegged out in front of the TOUR every evening taking up every opportunity to watch some fabulous other show or movie...RIGHT?
So I've broken 150 I think. 152 on Pete's mom's scale. I think that Augusta has more gravitational pull there. So I dont know that that was correct. However, I will say that it appears that I have regressed to being 7 months pregnant...at least in my own mind. I asked Pete to set my bike up on the trainer. I am thinking that I might want to start getting up at 6AM to work out. Wonder how long that will last? I've got to do something. 40 is coming on me fast! I have heard from several people that at 37 something really bad goes wrong with a woman's metabolism...why at 37 I dont have a clue...IVE GOT TO DO THIS THANG! I'd hate to have to bust out some maternity wear just cause I can't put down the sweet tea and biscuits!
Anyway, as a final sort of note...I found my dream car. Its a GMC (Government owned Motor Corp according to Pete) Acadia. I saw one this weekend. It has all the bells and whistles I have been dreaming about...and space. It seats 7. It has two captain's chairs in the middle and a bench in the back. It has a drop down DVD player. Can you say SWEEEEEETTTT??? The only problem that I have with it...the model I looked at was about 44k. Can you repeat after me..... OUCH!!?? So Ill be dreaming a little while longer on that one I guess. I sure do wish that I could win the lottery! We keep forgetting to play though...that doesn't help!
AWWWW and I thought I was at my last point...Im not. I have to say that I am SOOOOOO thankful to our GOOD LORD that he has blessed my friend Shannon Reid with a healthy, sweet, baby girl named Kylie! Shannon had open heart surgery while we were in NURSING SCHOOL! Yep she fell out right there on the Cardiac floor while we were having clinicals...how appropriate! So after having had open heart, gall bladder removal and a cardiac ablation for SVT (just like her sister Marci!!!)...she was able to have a child! Thank you GOD! AND some more AWESOME news!!!!....Missy and Marty (from Church) are having a baby BOY! Missy had had the most unfortunate experiences with losing 3 pregnancies...and God has blessed them with this fine little boy! I can not WAIT for him to come into this world! Thank YOU AGAIN LORD!
Can I just add one more thing??? Yeah I know, I dont write in ages and then I write a novel....I took some cold medicine so I guess my brain has decided to start working....no more pressure from my ears CLOSING IN ON MY THOUGHTS!!!
Anyway this final thought (for real!). While were were in Augusta at the river, waiting to see fireworks, something very interesting happened. We were sitting in the ampitheatre waiting (and waiting and waiting) to see the display....the girls were climbing all over the bleachers playing....up and down and back and forth.....When these two men came and sat down next to us. Now understand that there was plenty of room around and there was no need whatsoever for them to sit next to us...but these two men came and sat down from me about 5 feet. Those two men creeped me out. I instantly felt kind of sick to my stomach. I felt nervous and anxious. I felt something coming off of them that made my flesh crawl. And Lila suddenly said "Mama, I want to go!" She instantly moved away from them. And I added that I TOO WANTED TO LEAVE!!! And those two men got up and left! I asked Lila why she wanted to leave. She said that those men made her feel weird. After they left, I felt fine and Lila acted fine. It was the strangest thing. But I explained to Lila that if she EVER felt like that again, she needed to get away. God blesses us with intuition for a reason. And the thing is that those men weren't dirty or dressed in an unusual way...but something about them SCREAMED OUT at me and Lila!!! I told Lila that if she ever felt that way again, she should tell me. My radar was working and so was hers but if for some reason my radar was down, I wanted her to tell me. Always trust your instincts...ALWAYS!

Church dodgers

This past Sunday....yep we layed out of church! I know, I know what you might be thinking...we are Heathens....or are we really??? According to my beautiful seven year old that is hugely wise beyond her years...we most certainly ARE NOT! And let me say this: If the only thing in life that I ever teach my children, it what Lila had to say...then I have done an incredible job!
Sunday, instead of going to church, we went over to our neighbors house (along with a few other of our neighbors...what awesome souls they are!!) and helped clean up several fallen trees in our neighbor's yard. If you have ever had a tree cut down by a tree service, you know that they charge hundreds of dollars to come out. Well, I don't know about you, but we don't have hundreds of nothing just lying around...except maybe bills and fire ants!
Anyway, not trying to brag or anything but when we got those trees cut up and burned...her backyard was a vision! She was so proud and so grateful! She of course said that she would do anything in the world for all of us to repay us...but the truth is...there is no debt to be paid!
Well, after me telling a certain person that I may be married to...who will go nameless in THIS BLOG....that we were going to be doing this clearing on Sunday...this person said that it sounded too much like WORKING on Sunday..and we aren't supposed to WORK ON SUNDAY!! Protest as this person may...this person had to get the chainsaw and GET TO WORK!!! So I told Lila to repeat what she said to me to this person...that might be related to her and resemble her very own dad...AND THIS IS WHAT SHE SAID (Remember please that she is 7):

Daddy, its ok that we aren't going to church today to learn about God...we are going to go help someone and do what God really wants us to do...by helping others!

And what can a person say against that? God does not live within the four walls of the church. He tells us to "Love our neighbor." And unfortunately Sunday was the only day that all of us could get together to help out.

Does this mean that every Sunday we will do this...no. But since Pete and I can't help people financially or fix their cars for them or file their taxes for them...whatever...this is what we CAN DO. We had the time, the chainsaws and the physical strength to do it. Unfortunately for our neighbor, she wasn't physically able to handle this type of job and didn't have the tools to do it.

I'm so glad that we got to help out. I find tasks like this to be very gratifying. I know that this "good deed" isn't going to move me up a few notches en route to Heaven. I relish in the thought that I don't have to do good deeds to get to Heaven, Jesus has already paid the price for me to get in! But I do feel so good helping others, loving others and being able to SEE the fruits of our labor!

You know, I always have really appreciated random acts of kindness. Our neighbor never asked us to help her...we volunteered! We called and told her that we were going to and she accepted! :) We knew she had a need. I would love to challenge anyone that if you know of a need and it's within your means or capability....just do it! There is nothing more personally rewarding! And I know that's selfish thinking...but it just tickles me to death to think that we were able to lessen her burden!! Would we not want someone to come along and help us carry our burdens, randomly without having to ask? or beg?

Hold a door for someone, pay a tab or bill, pick up dropped papers, cut someone's grass, offer to walk a person's dog, cook a meal, paint a picture or just stop by and say hi....random acts of kindness can change a person's outlook on their day or on their whole life. I have heard stories of people, teetering on the edge of life...planning to take their life...and some person shows them just a bit of kindness and the hopeless person sees that their life is worth living and that they are worth being here on this Earth!

Pay it forward please!

What a truck load!

This past weekend, Pete and I went and looked at trucks. He drives a smaller truck that has a V8..which is fine for pulling our camper....BUT a larger full size truck would pull our camper much smoother and with less effort! So we went to 2 different places looking. We compared to two largest competing American made trucks. We were really liking both makes pretty well!
But then when it came down to the money issue....We fell in love with the moderately priced version of one truck....til it all came down to the payments.
The sales man, after coming up with the payment figure kind of seemed to hesitate for a minute or two, trying to find the best delivery for what he had to say......
"I'm thinking that it would come out about, maybe it would be about, its looking like..."
WAIT FOR IT>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
"7 and a quarter a month!" HUH? I think I yelled out "STANK!!!!" Pete's face took on the most contorted sort of expression I have ever seen! I had to actually laugh out loud! There was no poker face to be found in the room!!! SEVEN HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE FREAKIN DOLLARS A MONTH! And that was a rough estimate! Maybe about 400 too rough! *sigh* We would be leaving that beauty in the lot!
Pete said once we got back in his truck...that after $725 a month, his little ole truck didn't seem so terrible after all! It pulled the camper fine, drove fine and was just generally fine over all!
Our first house payment in Milledgeville wasn't even that much!! And as far as I saw, there wasn't any indoor plumbing in that truck!!!
So which brings to mind something.....
Take a good look next time you are riding down the road! How many big old pick up trucks do you see? THOUSANDS around this town! And lots of them are brand spanking new! How do people afford those things? I realize that business owners use them to haul and such....But the average Joe? How does he feed his kids, have a mortgage and drive a big truck? And Im not talking the used trucks! I realize that you can get a pretty good deal on a middle decade truck with some mileage on it. Im talking about 2009 or 2010 CREW CAB, full bed pickups.
Anyway, we will have to wait on that! Hopefully little ole Blue will hang in there for us! All of our neighbors say that they know when Pete is coming and going! Our neighbor across the street said that she used to judge what time she needed to have her child ready for school by when she heard his truck!!! OH ITS LOUD! AND NOT BY OUR CHOICE! Someone thought it would be a good idea to put loud mufflers on it...I guess if they couldnt have a big truck, they would at least make it sound like a big truck!

Super Highway Vacation

I survived ONE entire week without FACEBOOK or the Internet! I know it sounds pathetic!! But my life and my connectedness is directly related to how much time I get to spend checking my email or cruising FB. It is sad, I know! But its about like someone not having a cell phone and texting. I don't get to talk to my friends via the phone very often...Pete may argue this point....but the truth is that I do not get to talk to people much face to face, via phone or otherwise. Most of my communication has been limited to FB and emails. We all have such busy lives.
Recently a friend of mine was a little miffed that I had not been the best of friends and had not actively been in touch. I also had not set up any sort of socialization outside of Church and work. As I explained to her VIA FB, I don't have a life! I don't socialize and I don't get to go and do lots of fun things. I am about as exciting as a slug. Much to my friend Sherrie's dismay, I was ready to go to bed by 9:30PM the whole time we were at the Women of Joy conference!! Yeah, I know....I went a little over board!! I stayed up until 10PM. WOOOHOOO!!! But truthfully, that was only because Sherrie just kept wanting to talk and hang out. I begged her to let me go to sleep!!
Anyway, this past week, Pete, the girls and I went camping at Unicoi State park near Helen, GA. We had a great time. Iris the dog came with us. We didn't have such a great time in the truck on the way up or back...with the girls fighting constantly in the back seat! But the rest of the time was pretty stinking fun! We swam at the "beach" (the lake water was so clear there that we could SEE the fish swimming around us!!). We hiked the Appalachian trail. What a magnificent example of God's creation! We went tubing down the river in Helen! I really, really enjoyed that! We just generally had a great time! And it did not even rain on us until the last night!! What a miracle for us!
As we were hiking up the Appalachian trail, Pete and I talked about how we wished that we had lived our lives differently. Why when we were single folk, didn't we spend more time hiking and camping with friends or some such thing? We really enjoyed hiking a lot. We talked about going hiking some weekend with out the girls, up the trail. I love to camp and I think that Pete and I would have a great time. Maybe we could hike about 10miles or so a day, camp and hike some more. I really need to put my mind to that and make it happen...and not just talk about it. There really isn't a good reason why we shouldn't or can't do it. Well, other than needing to find someone to watch the girls for the weekend. We are both in good health and CAN DO IT! Of course, we both had the Jello legs after having to switch off back and forth carrying Lyndi up and down the mountain! WHEW! 2 year olds aren't the best hikers in the world! For that matter, 7 yr olds aren't the greatest of hikers at a certain point. If they don't have a set end point...just hiking up some dumb old trail doesn't make a lot of sense...especially when its rough terrain and they could be playing at the beach or something!!!
This week, I spent lots of time with Joyce Meyer! I can't think of the name of the book, but it deals with finding PEACE and JOY in our lives! She is such a wonderful writer and minister of God's Word. I really appreciated what she had to say! What wonderful timing too! We all have stress and some form of conflict in our lives. It is so wonderful to have a reminder that we should focus on God and live for TODAY. Our past and the future are not the here and now. We have no control over either. We can't change the past or the future. And worry gets us NO WHERE!!
All week, I kept wishing that I had access to my blog or even a notebook to write in! There were so many things I wanted to share from the week! I guess it wouldn't be much of a vacation if I was still PLUGGED IN though!
This week, I got to spend a lot of quality time with the girls. I got to love on them and play with them more than I have in a long time. I have two very special, beautiful girls! The world we live in, nature, is absolutely mind blowing! I saw so many amazing species of plants and flowers that I have never seen before. God really went all out! The girls and I even stood about 15 feet away from a young deer and watched it feed. It walked almost right up to us! Lyndi hollering and Iris whining did not even make it run off.
After we returned home, I got to thinking that there are many things that we don't do...like just randomly going hiking or whatever. I don't do many things for FUN! I hope that I won't keep on that same path. Life is racing by...I don't want to miss out on living it!

Almost 5pm on Friday!

Well its Thursday! I've been looking forward to 5PM on Friday. Friday evening begins a long week of vacation for me. I haven't had a vacation in a very long time. Vacation meaning....not working! What all we will do during this time off from work...I don't know and I don't care! Just to have time off is such a peaceful thought! I see camping in our future...more roasted (blackened) marshmallow smores!
What a praise I have to mention! Adam, one of the two young mention that I blogged about a few posts ago, was in church on Sunday! How awesome to have him home. He spent weeks at MCG hospital in Augusta in ICU! His injuries consisted of but were not limited to: a fractured pelvis, tear in his face about 4 inches long extending from his mouth to his cheek, fractures in his face and bruised spleen (and liver I think). He really went through it! But he is back...a little thinner but still looking great! For that we are all grateful! I mentioned that we were praying those boys up (Tyler too!!!)!! God has been so good!
I am asking for prayers for my friend Cutina Pearson. She has been in and out of the hospital for an abscess in her back. Its located under the skin. It has been drained and drainage tubes were placed. Evidently she has scar tissue and infection in the wound. Please pray for her healing. She still remains ever FAITHFUL to our Lord! Cutina is a wonderful child of God!
I am still waiting and listening for instructions from God about work. I can't help but think that the answer was not just to stay where I am at and that's that. I think there is more. I'm not saying that he doesn't want me to stay where I am at. I just think that he is using us as part of a bigger picture. I think that there are pieces to this puzzle that have yet to be placed to achieve a master piece. Are there going to bumps and bruises along the way? I suspect so. Whenever you are dealing with people that don't have the same values and beliefs, there is always the chance that things aren't going to be handled in a Christian way. Too bad for us! :) But God will persevere! I just cant wait to see what happens. Either way...it will be for God's greatest good. I just pray that God will place a stronghold around us and protect us from too many insults and injuries.
I worked with a great patient today. She really made me chuckle! There are some amazing, beautiful people in this world! she really got me tickled when she hopped up and down, trying desperately to work a pair of boa constrictor pantyhose up!! She is a lady in her late 60's with a heavy Spanish accent, going on and on about how awful pantyhose really are ! PRICELESS! What a great woman!
I am still looking forward to 5PM on Friday...hopefully I will be able to enjoy some great patients tomorrow that make me smile. Otherwise Ill have to think of my little lady and her panty hose hop! Is there any wonder really that the work PANTy has the word PANT in it...they sure make you pant like a dog when you are trying to get them on!

Be Still

In the words of the great comedian, Jeff Foxworthy, "Here's your sign..." Why is it that some of us literally need a sign? I'm really just speaking of myself. It's so wonderful when God has the messages he needs you to know on the local store signs or church billboards located near your house or on your drive into work!!
This past week has been the toughest week I have had since I began working at my job. As I have said before, I love my job. I feel like I am there for a reason. And one of the greatest perks of my job is that I get to work with my dearest friend Sherrie. And recently, my dear friend and former neighbor Kitty began working with us. I couldn't be happier! But, I also couldn't be sadder when I felt like I was being betrayed by management. It's a long messy story and not one that needs to be shared. There is nothing to gain by trudging through all of that muck. But the way that God has spoken to my heart in the past few days is what is important.
First off, Sherrie and I recently went to a "Women of Joy" conference in Charleston. We had an amazing time. We had the opportunity to share the weekend with some of the sweetest ladies from my church. After that conference we all vowed to put on our joyful crown and be strong and happy! Who would have thought that upon returning home that Satan would be trying to beat the doors down to steal that crown of Joy!!
Don't get me wrong, there are always going to be troubles and trials in our lives. I know that. I don't love it though. I realize that sometimes it the harder times that we Christians feel the closest to God. At least those are the times that we seem to lean more on HIM!
Unfortunately though, after we returned, life kept on going and not everyone got the same beautiful, uplifting, praise worthy messages that we got while we were in Charleston!! Too bad too!
Anyway, there has been some tremendous drama at work. Sherrie and I have both probably helped Kleenex stock rise in value here lately!! Preparation-H probably could have used us as spokes women to demonstrate how well their product works on puffiness under the eyes! At any rate, at the risk of sounding like there has been a big pity party going on...there hasn't...but there is a lesson in all of this!!
For several days and even for the last few weeks, I have been praying for God to show me what he wants me to be doing with my life. I really don't think that we should ever just be sitting around on the sofa lounging spiritually thinking that this is all that it is and God doesn't have other great stuff that he wants us to be doing. So I ask God regularly to show me what he wants me to do.
When these hard issues came up at work, I began praying to God to PLEASE show me what he wants me to do. Does he want me to stay working where I am? Does he have another plan for me? I figured that if God did have other plans that he would let me know by opening up another job for me. I was ready to hang it up at VI. So I called a lady that is the director at one of the hospitals in town. I had seen some job postings that I thought would be interesting. I thought that surely God would have one open to let me escape to. But please SHOW ME!
After talking to the director, I found out that she not only didn't have any positions but did not know of any positions that I would be able to fill. My heart sank. Did that mean that God was not answering me right now? qWas I waiting? Was I supposed to stay at VI? What God? WHAT?
Yesterday I began to have an epiphany. Suddenly, I was no longer thinking with my mind about ME and MY situation. I began to see the situationS at hand through the eyes of several people. There were several struggles going on. There were battles being fought that had nothing to do with me. Other people were hurting as well and feeling betrayed. In our lifetime, we will all experience that. How we deal with the perceived betrayal is what separates the Women of Joy from the Women of Distress! And Sherrie and I both had begun to feel our crowns of Joy start to slip off of our heads. Satan had begun to win.....to steal our Joy....to steal what we knew ourselves to be as Christian women that are good, honorable, faithful, loving and joyful!
I reminded myself early in this that I better stick to praying and trying to listen. I'm glad that I did!! Because this morning, God decided to post HIS sign! Just down the road from my house in Colbert, there is a little children's clothing shop with a billboard sign out front. Periodically they change the Bible verse on it...perhaps a message to some other person that had been praying for a SIGN!!
This morning however, the sign had been changed from whatever verse it had been the day before. It read, "Be Still and Know that I AM GOD." I knew that that was what I had been praying for....Peace. Peace and knowledge that God had this situation under control. No matter what I felt I needed to worry about or fret about...God had it all! When I got to work, I gave Sherrie a card that I had written some words of encouragement in last night. In the card, I told her that I KNEW that God had a plan for us. I felt like God had been telling me to WAIT....as God often does! WAIT...that's a tough one for me! I usually want it all and want it NOW!!!
And as I drove past that sign and read the message that hollered out to me MARCI!! HERE'S YOUR SIGN...I scrawled the message on the back of the envelope for Sherrie.....

Be still and know that I am God---God

I was so excited to give that card to Sherrie because I knew that what I had written on the inside...was exactly what God wanted us to know...and it was confirmed on the side of the ole bill board sign outside the Kid's Clothing Consignment shop in Colbert, GA.

Sherrie admitted to me that through all of this, she was sad to say that she had not been praying. She had been reacting. She had not been still. It seemed as though (I type this now with tears in my eyes) a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. She knew that her burden did not have to be her own. God was there, waiting peacefully and quietly, for Sherrie and I both to be STILL. He would work this all out. He would show us what we needed to do for HIM next. He would handle all the strife. He would wrap his loving arms around us and allow us to just breathe. What a huge Blessing!

Tonight as I was sitting in the tub listening to the new CD I just bought after having seen comedian Chonda Pierce at the Women of Joy conference....Chonda began to speak of a personal experience in her life. A time when God told her....Just be still and KNOW that I am God. She sang a beautiful song called " My Soul Will Wait." And I thought...You know Marci.....HERE'S YOUR SIGN. Thank you God!

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Today was such a pleasant day! Church was a great blessing! Everything seemed a little brighter, a little sweeter and a little more exciting!
After Church, my bed began calling. I'm not sure why this happens. After lunch, about the time Lyndi has to go down for a nap, I too begin feeling overwhelmingly sleepy! At least I'm not falling asleep in chuch huh? So as part of our Sunday ritual, Lyndi and took a nap. After our hour or so of leisure, I got up and GOT TO IT!
Pete and I raked and cleared our front island. The poor thing looked so overgrown! Weed killer has not been a friend to us in the front yard. I think its been about as effective as the French army......
We raked and raked. Pete hauled off several wheelbarrow loads. I am willing to bet there are a dozen more piles just waiting to be hauled off. But I'm afraid that Pete and I both are "give out." I think its looking a lot better. We discussed what it would be like to have a nice 20k budget to give to a landscaper and say "have at it!" It's just a dream though. We both know that at the end of the day, it will be us with the peeling skin from the blisters we acquired from too much raking. Did I happen to mention that I have a blister on the inside of my pinkie finger?? Ouch! What a blessing to be ABLE to get out and do such tasks!! I think its refreshing to be able to labor manually. Would I want to do it every day of my life as an occupation? No. I especially wouldn't want to have to work out in the heat and humidity of our fair State!
The past week and half or so have been some of the most trying days that I can remember in a while. The murders of our Town and Gown folks has left a small dark cloud hanging over my head. Every day and every night, Pete and I watch the news to see if there has been any change or updates in the investigation and search for the mad professor. I think about the professor's poor children and the families of the victims of the shootings. I liken this sort of heinous crime to the murder of that young girl, Meredith Emerson by a serial killer in the North Georgia mountains. I think that there is no difference between what the professor did and that serial killer. It sickens me. Fortunately for Meredith, she did get to fight back and hurt her attacker. The T&G folks didn't have a chance.
I am also keeping in my prayers two young men that go to our church. Tyler and Adam were in a terrible car accident last week. Tyler suffered a broken collarbone and Adam sustained multiple, traumatic injuries. Adam is at the MCG in Augusta in ICU. He is supposed to have surgery on his pelvis this week. He suffered a bit of a set back after having aspiration pneumonia.
Tyler was at church today. It was so great to see him. Evidently he is carrying the weight of this accident around on his shoulders. He made a left turn in front of car. The car struck the passenger side where Adam was seated. How do you explain to someone that these things happen? I know he feels horrible. But the thing is that a mistake is not in any way a mal intention. I think that Tyler would gladly take Adam's place right now if it meant that his friend would not be hurting and in tough shape. But Tyler has to know that he and Adam are being prayed up right now. Their names are being flooded before God like an over flowing river! God has got them right in his merciful hand!
Have I mentioned lately how grateful I am for my family? I love my husband. I love my children. I love my stepson. Do we have good days and bad? Do my children about send me over the edge sometimes? Does Pete not get on my last nerve being bossy or just plain aggravating? Sure. But I love them. I love being able to hold Pete's hand when I have a migraine that is about to kill me. I love being able to snuggle up next to Lila in the backseat of my little car on the way down to celebrate Granny's 95th birthday. I love having Lyndi come up to me and say "I lud you too Mama!" I'm so grateful for them. Really grateful!

Joyful news

It seems that here lately, there has been so much BAD or negative news coming at all of us from around the world and in our own little communities. I am so happy to report that two of my friends, both named Missy just recently found out that they are going to be mommies!!
Missy and her husband Marty have been trying for a number of years and after a few failed pregnancies to get pregnant again. They just were able to hear the heart beat of their little baby!! How awesome!
My other friend Missy and her husband Todd recently found out that they had been chosen by a birth mom to be the parents of her baby! They had been trying for years and years to get pregnant. They had even tried to adopt a couple of years ago but to no avail.
So many people have been praying for both couples. I am grateful that God has chosen both couples to be parents. Both couples are so very special and great people! I thought it was so interesting to see that there were something like 76 comments on Missy J's Facebook page congratulating her on her excellent news! Thats a whole lot of well wishes! Obviously they are well thought of!
All I can say is....God is GOOD! Thank you for blessing two wonderful couples!

Sadness

What a great weekend to have this weekend! I was really thinking that I would slide into the weekend and be miserable. On Friday, I accidently ended up squishing my right index finger in the door of the car. I thought perhaps my finger would prevent me from being able to really do a whole lot. I was finally able to have relief Friday night. One would not think that such a small thing could really mess you up.....try it!! I am right handed and the blow was devastating. My whole hand hurt. My finger WHUP WHUPed for 24 hours. No fun!!
Saturday Pete, Lila and I went downtown to the Twilight Criterium. We had been to an earlier bike race to watch Pete's friend John ride. There is nothing in the world like cycling! What a great sport! But Saturday evening we had dinner at Doc Chey's downtown. It was delightful really. The crowd began to flock to downtown. We watched the hand cycle race which is always AWESOME!! Guys and one awesome lady ride hand cycles because they are either paraplegic or amputees. What amazing athletes!!! I dont know how they do it! Their arms are as big as some of the regular cyclists legs!!!
We then watched a kid ride. If I had had a camera with me, I would have taken a picture of this little 2-3 yr old little girl with helmet, elbow pads, knee pads and training wheels go toodling around the block as serious and determined as one of the grownups. Everyone cheered for this little beauty on her bike!!
The ladies raced next. We stood in front of the Georgia Theatre, just as we have for the last several years. We aren't really sickos waiting for folks to crash....really!! But there was a crash right in front of us. Fortunately not one of the two ladies were seriously injured. On a couple of occcasions as the ladies road by, their pedals would clip the baracade making a sound....ahhh just a little too close!!! How exciting!! Talk about something that will get your heart racing!!!
Despite all of the fun and excitement of the weekend, there was a horrible event that loomed over me like a dark cloud. One of the professors at UGA, ended up killing his wife and two other gentlemen at our local Town and Gown theatre. I felt personally weighted down by this horrible killing because my friend Kris had recently been divorced from one of the fellows that was murdered. They had a daughter together. When I heard about what happened, my first thought was to whether or not Kris had either been a witness or if she could have been one of the ones hurt in the shootings. Since none of the family members had been notified that their loved one had been murdered, the names had not been released. But I had heard that a person with Kris' last name had been killed. I was so scared that Kris had been harmed. I had found out that in fact it was her ex-husband. I was sick. All night last night, all I could do was think of Kris and her daughter. I thought about the families of the other victims. Evidently the professor and his wife had two young children. I can not imagine what life is like for them right now without a mom and a dad that is MIA. He is either on the run or decided that he would put and end to things himself.
Since Pete works for the Office of Security and Emergency prepardness at UGA, this is the exact sort of thing that they spend hours and hours educating students, facutly and staff about ALL THE TIME. People just think that Athens is just such a cute, little town that nothing ever happens in. The people at Virginia Tech and Columbine High thought the same thing....I know they did. Its easy to think that "Nothing like that will ever happen here." People, we are in the middle of a crisis. Our economy stinks. People are jobless. Depression and anxiety are on the rise. Drug addiction and alcohol abuse is way too prevalent. We have to take our heads out of the sand.
We have to stop thinking that we can walk alone outside at midnight, cuss people while we are driving and ignore strange, threatening comments that people make. Im not saying that we all need to be cynical and think that everyone in the world has gone bad. That's not the case. But the fact is that people are crying out for help all over this world. Too many people have anger management problems. We are a living in a world of hurt. And the truth is that not enough people know why were are here on this Earth. Not enough people have Faith in God. And too many folks feel utterly alone.
Ok so how do we fix this? What am I trying to say? We all just have to be more aware. We need to keep our eyes and ears open. We need to pray more and stop JUST TALKING ABOUT IT a lot less! We need to stop placing ourselves in situations that our internal warning system is blaring out that SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT. We need to stop thinking that nothing is ever going to happen here and prepare. Stop this false thinking that if we just have our cell phones in our hands so that we can dial 911, we will all be OK.
Women, we must know how to fight back. We must be educating our children about bullies, weapons (particularly guns) and strangers. As employers, we must stop turning a blind eye to folks that seem a little unstable and a bit hotheaded. If a person is making threatening comments on Myspace or in a blog....someone should seriously think about reporting it. We have to be careful and aware. That's all Im saying.
Should we all run out to Walmart and buy a shot gun now? Well....I dont know the answer to that. But I do think it is a good idea to learn some self defense and a little verbal judo. I also think its a good idea to keep our own wits about us and stop flying off the handle every time someone cuts us off while we are driving. For goodness sakes, we all get to where we are supposed to go in good time.

MoreTalent Than American Idol

Matthew 25:14-30, in the Bible, is the Parable of the Talents. The study Bible I read says that a talent was a sum of money equal to about 2 years wages for a person. In this parable, a wealthy man entrusts a couple of men with a certain number of "talents" of the financial sort. One of the men that received a talent buried his for fear of having his master's money taken. One man invested the money and grew the talents. At the end of the parable, the one who used the talents and grew them was rewarded by being placed in charge of many things. The one who did nothing with the talent except bury it in the ground was thrown out into the darkness where he wept.
This parable is referencing the talents, gifts or opportunities that God gives to each of us. In Sunday school class, we have all filled out a spiritual gifts assessment form. It allows us to see how God has blessed us so that he can use us in service to Him. My strongest gifts lie in Mercy and Pastoring/Shepherding. Human compassion is where my heart lies. I am a comforter. I also want people to know about God and have a relationship with him. Being that I love people, this is not an uncomfortable talent for me. I do still wish that I had a great singing voice though! But I know that this is not a talent that he wished for me to have.
I remember when I was working at the cancer treatment center that I had been speaking with a family member about being a nurse. She had asked me how in the world I could work with cancer patients all day long. I love it! But I told her that I felt like being a nurse was doing God's work. Loving and caring for others all day long is exactly what I think Jesus would do....so WWJD?? I think that nursing others would be high on his priority list! She said to me in sort of an ashamed way, that she wished that she had a gift like that from God. She didn't think that she had a talent or gift. She worked as a waitress. I told her that being a nurse might seem like an obvious gift...caring and loving others. But I bet that God used her in other ways to help others. I bet that when she came in contact with patrons of that restaurant, that her bright, beautiful smile was a gift from God that probably brought comfort to weary souls. And the simple gesture of offering someone a hot cup of coffee and a little kindness went a long way. We don't ever know what every person is going through in their personal lives. We don't always see the weariness that people have down in their souls. A quick pat on the shoulder, a small hug, a "HI how are you?" or just a great smile can turn a person's entire life around. Sometimes all a person needs is a little ray of hope to help them get through to the next day....a sweet smile and pat on the back could provide that little ray!
I think that sometimes we think that we should all be blessed with beautiful voices to be able to sing praise to God and show that we are faithful servants. We discount the simple things about us that really make us special as Christians. But really, when God decides to bless us with a talent, we are to use what God has given us, we aren't to hand it back saying, " awww why couldn't I do what so and so is doing?" If we were all meant to sing, who would give out the hugs? If we all were supposed to give out hugs, who would keep up with the tithes?
Its just like our career choices....God makes someone that wants to do every sort of job. I love being a nurse! But I met a woman who said that her son had dreamed of driving large farming equipment since he was a little kid. He was now in his 20's living his dream and couldn't be happier! I personally wouldn't be happy doing that young man's job! But someone's got to do it! God burdens each one of us with the desire to do something....unfortunately its not always clear to each of us exactly what God wants us to do with our lives and our talents. As a matter of fact, I didn't know that I wanted to be a nurse, I only knew that I wanted to SERVE/HELP others. Well, I could have gone down several different avenues to achieve this goal...I did start out in law enforcement! But I ended up in nursing and feel very fulfilled in this field. Who's to say that I wouldn't have the same satisfaction working in a little coffee house where I could meet and talk to people all day? Either way, I am using the talent that God has blessed me with. And I am thankful for all other Christians that are using their talents as well....that sweet, welcoming smile and that hot cup of coffee go a really long way when my spirits are low and I need a little reminder that God loves me no matter what!

Ahhh Sweet Misery

Tonight I went to our Church's Women's meeting. We are having it quarterly instead of monthly now. If you want to look at it as saving up for the best....I would say that that was definitely accomplished! God was such a part of this program tonight. If a person was there and did not feel it....they were tuned in to the wrong channel!
A young woman named Jessica spoke tonight about her son Zach. One year ago, Zach passed at the age of 5 months. He was born severely premature. As all babies fight when being premature, Zach fought and won the battle for 5 whole months. When he passed, he was a smidge over 10 pounds. That was 10 pounds of fight! Ultimately, after having been diagnosed with pneumonia and having been on the respirator, his parents made the ultimate sacrifice and let Jesus take him home. What a huge unselfish act to allow a child, a person the opportunity to have peace and to feel their love for a moment without having life forced upon him.
Zach, being a miracle just being himself, taught Jessica and her family so much more about God's love for all of us. God did not choose to heal Zach in the sense that he is still here today. Instead, God, allowed Zach's little light to shine all over this state, the United States and around the world. Jessica said that people from literally all of the world sent them emails on their Care Page (on the Internet). Zach touched many lives. Many, many people prayed for Zach. His mom Jessica said that some people even came to be saved after having heard about Zach and his story.
Jessica and her husband's story of faith was definitely inspiring. Would they much rather have their little boy with them then to have a beautiful story of inspiration to tell? I would be willing to bet a million dollars on that. But because they chose to allow God to have control, they were blessed with a beautiful, "perfect" little boy, the opportunity to love him and get to see first hand, God's perfect love.
The point was made that through all of this that at times, Jessica and her husband did question God and God's plan. Who wouldn't?! But the beautiful thing about this is that God does not condemn us for questioning. God expresses his love for us and continues to wrap his arms around us in our weakest of moments. That's what makes trusting in God so amazing...the harder it gets, the harder he holds on to us. The more we look to HIM, the more he allows us to see HIM and to feel HIM.
I told Jessica, that I thought it was so great to finally get to meet Zach's MOM in person. I had been hearing her name (her whole family's names) for a long time. I knew Zach's name. Jessica's friend Sadie, is in my Sunday school class and she ever diligently kept Zach on the prayer list. We all prayed for little Zach! But the thought hit me as I was thinking about her and her testimony....You know how when you meet someone, you hear,"Oh this is Zach's mom?" Or HI LILA's MOM!! they don't have a clue what my name really is but Im identified as being my daughter's parent....How beautiful and special that I could say tonight "OH THAT'S ZACH'S MOM!! So though he may not be here on this Earth 20 years from now, Jessica will always be "ZACH'S MOM!"
What courage it took for Jessica to stand before a room of almost all strangers and tell her story. God had told her that she needed to tell others her story to help her heal. I bet that through her telling of the story tonight, that others in that room were able to heal a little too. Many women there tonight probably had miscarriages. Some may have lost children of their own. Some women were battling fertility issues. Whatever the battle, the reminder that God truly is there and never leaves our side is such a huge source of peace even for me. I don't struggle with any of those issues that I suggested. But I struggle with my own issues. Thank you God for being there with me and for me. Thank you for sending those ladies to speak up about you and let us know how you have changed their lives.
I pray that Jessica does receive a peace in her life that allows her to smile about her dear Zach and not ache so much. I pray that she and her husband will be able to have more children. More children that she can tell about Zach and share photos of him with them. Share that Zach's 5 month long life, changed many people's lives forever...and changed them over to trust in Jesus. What more of a miracle could have come from such a perfect little life?

Circles

I know that there are these things going around on FaceBook and all over the place to identify the circles of life that seem to naturally crop up everywhere. I think they are called the 6 degrees of separation. I could be wrong. But hey, I'm under the influence of night time cold medicine..so give me a break!!
Anyway, recently I collided with one such circle of life that left an impression on me. A few weeks ago, as I was on my way home from work, I was passed by a police officer flying around the line of cars I was in to get to an accident. I had actually been delayed at work by a few minutes talking to Sherrie and Dr. M. I went to pick up Lyndi and was heading home, down the Jefferson Rd. exit. Just ahead of us was a tremendous wreck. Smoke was still pouring out of the air bags in the mini van that caused the accident. The driver of the car that was struck head on, headed West bound on the 10 loop was laying out in the median of the road. EMS personnel was working with this person on the ground....a woman. Then a woman who was obviously upset came running over to that person's side. Then the fire rescue workers were trying to get the passenger out of the minivan. I called Pete and told him that I was caught in traffic at this accident and that I thought there were probably fatalities in it. It was a mess! I then tried to reach my mom by phone to worn her in case she was on her way home too. I tried to call my friend Laurie to let her know in case she was near that exit...as that's the exit where her mom and dad live. I know she goes over to their house often.
The next day on the radio, I found out that the minivan was being driven by an elderly woman who had come off of the Jefferson Rd exit, crossed over the 10 loop and collided head on with a vehicle traveling West bound on the other side of the 10 loop median. It was hard to tell at a glance of the accident scene exactly how things went down. That next day though, there were plenty of orange flags and spray paint marking exactly where everything took place. The driver of the minivan died. A few days later, the day of the driver's funeral, her passenger husband died.
Not long after I had found out the details of the accident, I spoke to my friend Laurie and told her that I had tried to call her and advise her of the accident. I told her that I felt like, if I had been just a couple of minutes quicker heading home, that I could have been involved in that accident. She then told me that she too came up on the accident and described the scene almost exactly as I had seen it...she was right behind me, on the exit ramp off Jefferson!! I did not have her cell number so I couldn't let her know...but she did know! She saw it too!
Last week (now about 3 weeks after the accident), one of my patients came in and asked me (out of the blue) if I knew the people that died in the collision on the 10 loop. I thought that was odd seeing as I was a first hand witness of the aftermath of the accident and it made an impression on me. I described the accident scene to her. I told her what I had heard about the people involved in the accident. Then she told me that she knew the couple that had died as a result of the accident. She worked in a place of business that she saw the driver of the van weekly. She had know this woman for a number of years. She said that this woman was one of the nicest, kindest people she knew and that she would miss her. I thought about how odd I thought the whole situation was.
That accident that I had missed by minutes, the one that made a deep impression on me, the one I tried to warn my friend about, the one that took the lives of 2 people...and someone intimately knew the the riders in the van. How random...or was it random at all? Why did my patient decide to discuss this with me? Why was I a witness? Why did I miss being involved?
When Lyndi saw the cars all smashed up in the median, she asked me,"Mama, whata happeneded to those caaas? They fall down and brokeded?" I responded to Lyndi that indeed they fell down and broke and I didnt think that the people in the the cars were ok either. I think they fell down and broke too.
That couple evidently lived in Colbert...we were practically neighbors. I wonder if I will hear more about them in the future. I don't think that I had any connection with the other person involved in that accident. Who knows though, 10 years from now, I might have her as a patient. She may be sitting in my chair, while I'm working on her legs, telling me about how she was involved in a head on collision and survived...but the driver and passenger of the minivan didn't make it. Who knows really?

OH MY!

Today I had a patient that was a really sweet, talkative lady. She spent a lot of time telling me about her sons. She is so proud of them!! They sounded like really good boys too! She was talking about how they never drank in high school, used drugs, got in trouble, got piercings or tattoos. WOW! What nice boys! Then she told me that her niece or cousin's kid..someone..I don't recall now after what she was saying....ANYWAY...this girl went to college on a full scholarship (that's impressive)...had two tone hair, went and got piercings and a "tramp stamp" on her lower back...you know, one of those tattoos! Well then she pondered out loud, "What will her children think one day when they see that thing on her back??!!" What could she have been thinking??? The relative with the tattoo and piercings?!!!
I shrugged and quickly tried to change the subject......Unfortunately she lingered a while longer on the topic but then finally gave up on it after I didn't give much of a YEAH!! HOW DARE SHE??!! WHAT WILL HER KIDS THINK??!
I kind of wondered if, while I was getting up from my seat if she may have noticed the colorful inkings on my own backside..............OH MY!! WHAT WILL MY CHILDREN THINK OF ME??? WHAT KIND OF CONTRIBUTION WILL I EVER BE ABLE TO MAKE TO SOCIETY??!!! WILL A MAN EVER REALLY BE ABLE TO LOVE ME? WILL I END UP IN PRISON COSTING TAX PAYERS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS?? Man, I sure hope not! And my kids really haven't made a ruckus about a funny picture of a gecko that Mama has on her back. I have gotten pinched on the back by Lyndi...I think she was testing to see if it was real or not! Lila just told her Daddy when she was about 4 or 5 that she too will have a tattoo one day....he was like "GREAT!! SEE WHAT YOU'VE STARTED??!!" I told him that if that is the worst thing she ever does, I think we will survive!
I had a rather shallow boss say one time that if she had KNOWN that I had a tattoo that she wouldn't have ever hired me. That really hurt my feelings. The thing is that I always try to keep my backside covered up. I don't have sleeves or chest art. I don't have my kids names tattooed on my neck. She wouldn't have ever even known that I had a "tramp stamp" on my back if she hadn't been listening in on a conversation that I was having with a fellow nurse (my other supervisor).
People make a lot of judgement calls about others based upon appearance. I think its really unfortunate! I can not believe that someone would be so shallow that they wouldn't hire me just because I have ink! I love caring for patients more than anything! I am a great employee with a great work ethic! I care about my job! But this person was so shallow that she would have let her own personal biases effect her hiring practices. Its not like I'm a registered sex offender and want to work at a day care! There are no swastikas or nudey pictures on my body!
Anyway, my point is this...we shouldn't be so quick to judge others. For all this relative of Miss Tramp Stamp knows, her favorite cousin/niece...whatever could be a Noble Peace Prize winner some day! She might build multiple houses for Habitat for Humanity! She may save a baby from a burning house...She just doesn't ever know! But if this girl gets her belly button pierced or some other nether region...If she gets a panther tattooed over the rest of her back or on her leg...IF THAT'S THE WORST THING THIS GIRL EVER DOES...FOR GOODNESS SAKES, PLEASE DON'T JUDGE HER FOR THAT!!!! Self expression shouldn't be a crime! Purple hair when you are in college isn't the most awful thing ever...There definitely are much worse things in life! And I think that many people would be REALLY suprised to find out that their own Grandma might have a piercing or a "tramp stamp" above their bottom too....I've seen many folks in their birthday suits...and it suprised me to find many of both on ladies over the age of 50 that were freshly inked or pierced!!! And I'm not kidding!

Its been a long time

I realize that I haven't been as faithful about writing as I once was! Life gets kind of hectic sometimes...and well, we did lose power for a few days due to our most beautiful snow storm ever!! Let me just say that despite events involving my Dad and the ice, I really enjoyed the whole snowy few days. When our power went out, we made sure that our wood stand was full. There is nothing worse than having to make multiple trips to the wood pile in the freezing cold! Then we got out our oil lanterns and Coleman stove. Pete started up the generator, plugged in a lamp in our room, plugged in our electric blanket and an oil heater in our bedroom and the refrigerator. We were good to go! The girls slept on pallets on the floor. We slept in our bed all cozy and warm. I almost got too warm!

In the morning, we plugged in the toaster oven and coffee maker to the generator. I can not say that at any point during the whole snow event that we suffered at all! Nancy called me one of the nights and asked me if I had taken a double dose of my "relax my crack" medicine! I laughed and told her that I was actually really cozy and relaxing sans drugs! :) It was down right pleasant!

The afternoon when the snow started, we had just gotten home from church. We were planning on going to watch the Lady Dawgs play basketball. As we were about to leave for the game, the snow began to fall. It was so heavy and never slowed from falling! So my first instinct was to open all the blinds in my bedroom, slide into bed, pull the covers up to my chin and watch the snow fall! Within 30 minutes, my car was covered in snow! It was so nice! Lila and Lyndi came and piled in with me for a while to watch the snow. It didn't take long for Lila to head outside and play in the snow!

On Tuesday morning, some of the snow had begun melting but ice was a huge problem! The roads were covered with ice! As my Dad got out of his car at work, he hit a patch of ice, slipped and broke his left hip. At 9:30PM Dad came out of recovery from surgery and returned to his room. What a huge mess! Bless his heart, he was in so much pain.

Since Tuesday, Dad has been doing much better. He has been working with physical therapy at the hospital, trying to get his strength built up in his left leg. He has been keeping an unusually positive attitude. I have asked a lot of people to pray for him. My Dad is not the type to lay out of work and not be productive. He will need a lot of prayers and support while he is stuck at home!!! I pray for a speedy recovery. Tomorrow they are supposed to be releasing him home. He will have home health nursing and physical therapy for a while. I think he is going to do all he can to get (literally) back on his feet again!

My friend Cutina has been sick again. She has had two abscesses in her intestine here in the last couple of weeks. Her doctors have moved up the doses of Remicade that she gets to help heal the abscesses and hopefully (prayerfully) put her Crohns in remission. She told me that she has been feeling better in the last week or so. She still has some pretty significant attacks of pain daily.

We have been loving our new pup Iris! She is about 1.5 years old. She is a Terrier/Something mix breed. She was an adopted doggie from a foster home. She has turned out to be the best dog we have ever had! She is very sweet and well mannered. She minds better than my own children! :) And she loved playing out in the snow!!

Go Ahead and Set Me On FIRE!!

Tonight Pete and I sat on the couch together and watched FireProof the movie. What a great movie. Not that it had an all star cast...nope..just Kirk Cameron. Kirk did a fine job in this movie. If you have seen Facing the Giants, you kind of already know what to expect from this production group, however, FireProof delivers a few steps above in acting. The movie takes place in Albany, GA. It was cool having a movie set close to home...well sort of...at least in the same state! This time there werent any guest appearances made by Mark Richt, which is unfortunate. I thought it would be cool if they had worked him into the shot in the last scene.
Pete and I have decided that we are going to take on the "Love Dare" by Stephen and Alex Kendrick. It's what the movied is based upon. Its 40 days of study and dares to improve marriage based upon Christian teachings. I would encourage anyone that is dating or married to try it. I am very curious to see what effect it will have on our marriage. Pete and I dont have a bad marriage. We have our bumps and bruises over the years. Right now, I think things have begun to settle down a little and I am very thankful for that. I like nice and stable! I would also like loving, affectionate, a little romantic and fun!! :) I know, I dont ask for much!!! But I will take a good, stable, happy marriage over bumps and bruises any day!!! Oh and I dont mean literal bumps and bruises....Poor Pete!

Almost Friday

Well, its almost Friday again. I can't imagine where THIS week has gone! I think that hump day turned out to be such a crazy fiasco that it caused the week to fast forward into Friday!
When I got home tonight, Pete was walking Iris in the yard. Do you think she wanted to potty....nahhhh but she was scoping out the wild kitty trails around our house. And since we have about 8 more wild kitties left, there are still plenty o'trails. Again, I am not the least bit concerned if famine strikes our neighborhood...there are plenty of cats to live off for at least a year! ALF would be so set! And if you dont know who ALF is.....*tisk tisk*
Today marks 6 months that I have been with VI. It seems like it has been so much longer. But my PTO kicked in today. My mind goes wild imagining all the exotic locals that I can now visit! I think of the relaxing moments next to the pool and trails around lakes.....
Then I remember that I am a parent of two girls that will likely be sick 2 out of the 3 weeks that I have off....the rest of the time, I'll probably be sick with whatever the latest ick and ill there is being passed around the day care or at school! Ahhhh but wouldnt it be nice to be able to go to some fancy place and partake of the spa??? *Dont wake me just yet please....its been a while since I had a fantasy this good! :)
The housing market has got me all in a tizzy! On the main road of our neighborhood, I think there are 4-5 houses for sale. Some are for sale because the owners just want to sell. One house has never even been occupied for 2 years since its been built. One house is a foreclosure. I would love to find a house with more space than ours that the owner would want to trade for our house. Why is it when you buy a house that it gets filled with STUFF in no time...then you wish you had a bigger house? Life happens I guess. Im not one of those people that collects STUFF! Im always going through drawers and closets trying to find things to get rid of!! There is ALWAYS STUFF to get rid of!! If I had the patience for a yard sale, I might be able to afford and upgrade to another house!
Speaking of housing, I really dont understand this plan that Obama has to help out folks that are facing foreclosure. Truly, I have a hard time accepting that some people really over bought or got bad loans (variable rates and such) and now they are going to get a bail out. What about us ever faithful folks that pay our mortgages? And what about us that have been diligent and our houses are worth less than what we paid for them???? *sigh* Don't get me wrong, I dont like to see so many folks losing their homes......BUT
With time flying by so quickly, April will be here before I know it...that means that 36 will be here before I know it! When did that happen anyway? When I dream at night, I still dream that I am a teenager or a 20-something. When Im 50 will I dream Im a 30-something? What about when Im 80? Speaking of dreams, I dream in color. I don't know that everyone does. I have heard that some people dont. I dream in color and there are also vivid smells. Dreams are amazing! I guess before I know it, Ill be 40 and dreaming that Im in my early 30's....

100~!!!!!

Evidently this is my 100th post...I cant believe that I had 100 things to ramble about...anyone still out there reading? I bet a lost a few along the way...that's ok though...That just means that I can be much more descriptive and talk more about disgusting nursey things! WOOHOOO
So we got a new doggie named Iris. I found her on Craigslist. She is a terrier mix. The title of her add said something like "Sweet girl looking for a forever home". So I wrote to the owner. Evidently the owner had been fostering her for about a year and a half. She found Iris, her mother and some siblings in the middle of the road...about to get squished. So she took them in, nurtured them and found homes for all of them...except Iris.
When I emailed the foster mom and talked to her on the phone, I had lots of questions. I needed to find a dog that was calm, good with kids, non destructive, fixed and generally well behaved. And she said that Iris was all of these things. Sure sure....Well we met Iris on Saturday afternoon. She is a white, fuzzy terrier mix with no undercoat (which means she can get cold easily) and a tuft of hair that hangs in her eyes. She is a shy girl too. She literally tried to hide behind her foster mom's legs. It was like meeting a 1 year old child..just in puppy form.
After a bit of an adventure when Iris escaped out of our fenced back yard and we had to hunt her down for 2 hours.....
We got her back in the house. We soon found out that Iris is well behaved. She is so well behaved that she acts like she is on a constant run of Xanax. She doesn't bark. She doesn't growl. She doesn't wag her tail much. She doesn't eat much. She doesn't really do much at all. Evidently, last year the foster mom tried to adopt her out but Iris got returned after a couple of days because she was "too calm". I think I can agree with that statement. I joked with the owner that it seemed like she had drugged Iris with Benedryl...when it wore off was she going to go nuts?? Nope!
Don't get me wrong, I really like the dog. I didn't really much care for having to walk her tonight for about 30 minutes only to have her pee and not poo. I guess Ill have to do another marathon walk before I got to bed. I did see two shooting stars tonight in our crystal clear Madison County sky. It was so pretty out. After a while of star gazing, standing in the cold night air with wet hair (after my bath), I was really over the whole appreciating the wild thing. I went stomping back in the house with my lower lip poked out! Iris instantly went and sat next to Pete on the couch.
Iris is about as sweet as an animal can be. She definitely would win any contest PAWS DOWN for the least active pup around! I'm thinking of giving her coffee just to get her just a little excited. I know that Pete doesn't believe me, but after everyone else was in bed last night, Iris began playing tug o war with me and her stuffed dog. She even chased after the thing as I threw it across our hard wood floored living room! She scooped that dog up and slide about 3 feet each time! It was great fun! But once that game was over....back to Benedryl doggie. Its really quite strange.
Anyway, all is well in the hood. My neighbor Kitty is now moved to a nice rental house. Her house has a for sale sign in the front but we don't know how much they are asking. I am praying that we get nice neighbors that love children! Hopefully we wont get any pedophiles that REALLY love children. How awful that we have to think about such things. But we do...and we do...and we will! Kitty was such a good neighbor for the girls. They LOVED her and she LOVED them. They miss her already! Fortunately for us, we get to see her at church and around town. Its not like Comer is a huge metropolis that you might not ever run into anyone...just visit the Dollar General....that's like the Great Mall of Comer! No doubt that any time you visit that store, you are bound to run into someone you know!
I think its about time to start planning a good vacation for the year! I'm so ready! I want to get away for a few days....without children...I know...BAD MAMA!! But a few days to just not fuss or muss or deal with whining children that are constantly begging for food and drinks..and worrying me about the other one touching them and screaming in the back seat of the car......
YEA, I'M READY FOR A BREAK!!!

The Week Goes On...dadidadadi

Its uterally unbelieavable that another week has gone by! This was one heck of a week! We are so busy at work! Who would have ever thought that so many people had problems with veins! Young, old and some what vein folks have been pouring in! I dont blame them. Bad veins in the legs can be so uncomfortable. I inherited spider veins from my mom. We think that bad veins mostly come from our parents. Thanks MOM AND DAD!! I hope I get the high blood pressure and thyroid problems too!! I already have a bad memory!
Tonight...I am ashamed to say, Pete and I went to Walmart. Yea...thats the first time in MONTHS that I have been in there. Im still mad that they kept 5 of my Ambien and then tried to make it seem like I was a sleeping pill fiend! Jerks! Dont they know that doctors have (had) samples! Its the prinicple of the whole thing. Anyway, we had to buy Lila and Lyndi some new tennis shoes. We found some cute $5 tennis shoes...probably from China made from woven lead fibers. But did I mention how cheap they were and how cute they were too?!!! Our good deal still didnt stop me from feeling dirty the minute I walked through the door. I felt like I was seriously violating some sort of moral code or something. Im telling you, they really made me very mad over this prescription thing. AND the general manager never even called me back!!! Remember, if you use a Walmart pharmacy, you better count your pills out...RIGHT THERE ON THE COUNTER BEFORE YOU LEAVE...they will rip you off in a heart beat!
My boss David met Bill last night...had his picture taken with him and every thing!! Yea...I mean Bill Clinton. Evidently he was at some fund raiser in Atlanta that David and his wife Beth were at. They both had their picture made with him...the old lady was not in tow. What a shame.....OH I SHOULD HAVE ASKED DAVID IF HE ASKED BILL ABOUT MONICA? How could you not meet him and NOT ask? "So Bill, have you talked to Monica lately? And how's Chelsea?" Wonder what they did talk about? I didnt even ask. I had work to do!! But it is a shame that one of the most outstanding thoughts I have about our ex president is about an affair that he had instead of over seas affairs or business affairs. Too bad indeed!
Well, its time to put this week to rest! Good night!