A Radical Review

Oh David Platt! You have turned my world around with one read of this awesome book. Only 217 pages this is a quick read (though the person I borrowed the book from might say otherwise), and you will enjoy every page. The first chapter is titled 'Someone Worth Losing Everything For', and at those words I knew I was in for an amazing journey. It's honestly quite simple. Take Jesus, his teaching, and his ways and follow it. Not because it is easy, or comfortable, or everybody is doing it. Actually, it will challenge your way of living to the core. I like the 'Radical Experiment' in the very back of the book and think it sums up our goal. Platt calls us to make several changes over the length of a year. 1. Pray for the entire world  2. Read through the entire Word  3. Sacrifice your money for a specific purpose  4. Spend time in another context  5. Commit my life to a multiplying community.  Get the book, sign the experiment, and let's change together!

Weight Loss Goal!

I like to start a weight loss journey with friends along the way! Yes, I am willing to publicly humiliate myself by posting my weight and measurements in an attempt to further force my hand in to healthiness.  The catch is someone else has to come alongside me and do it as well ;)

So Long My Insecurity?

My church started the study, So Long Insecurity by Beth Moore about a month ago.  I love that all the women that come are so opened and honest.  It seems like everyone is truly interested in saying goodbye to their insecurities.  Some of the insecurities are so rooted in our lives. Affecting so much of what we do, what we say, and how we act. What if we made a decision to stop today allowing our insecurities to control everything?  Being hurt in a past relationship dictating how we treat our current one.  Or maybe, our distrust in friendship causes us to not believe in people at all anymore. 

God offers us promise after promise that He will take care of our needs. Restoration and healing comes from Him.  “Blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green and they never stop producing fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8. Let’s allow our roots to grow deep into God not down deep to insecurity. I can’t share from other ladies in the group but I would love to share my own journey out of insecurity along the way.

New for me-Foster The People

Birds and Not so Many Bees

When it comes to the birds and the bees I have never struggled talking to my eldest daughter. From the get-go, I wanted to be up front and honest giving her the best source of information from me and not her friends. This has not however, been the same with the little one. Who, by the way, I just recently found out is no longer little anymore. Shock to my heart!

Last night, we are all gather in the living room folding clothes and watching a movie. You know, chores without it seeming like chores because we are having fun. The movie says the woman goes off to have her new baby girl (no, it doesn’t show any of this but enough for my new-not-little one to get all of it). This is how the rest of the conversation ensued..

NLL (no longer little)- “That’s what you do every day.”

Me – “What’s that sweetie”

NLL – “help get babies out’

Me – “That’s right”

NLL – “Well. (long pause) Just answer one question for me mommy”

Me – “sure hon”

NLL – “how do they make the hole in the mommy’s stomach for the babies to get out?”

Me – blank stare

NLL – “did you hear me?”

Me – blank stare

BSTTR (big sister to the rescue) – “girl, mom asked you to put these clothes away. Hurry up and put them in your room”

NLL – “It was just one question…geez” as she walks to her room, clothes in hand.

Me – Sigh. That was a close one.

BSTTR – (shaking her head in disappointment) “That is what you do every day, right?!”

Oh, maybe it’s time for me to get better prepared!

Anyone yet?!?

It's on the menu for this week for sure!

Why Wednesdays

Top 5 reasons why Gulf beaches are better than Atlantic!

1. Whiter sand. This is true. I have pictures to prove it.
2. I'm pretty sure the sun is hotter. Though, my entire family did get burnt on a recent Fernandina trip.
3. It always feels less crowded at Gulf beaches. This could be my imagination but it works for me.
4. The people are nicer. It's true.
5. Even with an oil spill the water is prettier! And I should know. That Fernandina water was awfully murky!

Okay, so I would choose to be at the beach ANY beach rather than not for the record!
And, that Fernandina is a quick drive it does get that. But, I would take a 6-7 hour round-road trip any day to see those beautiful waters. Call me crazy.

Case of the Mondays??

You're welcome!

John Piper Interviews David Platt

John Piper Interviews David Platt

Check out my friend!

 

Check out Taylor Holder and her wonderful blog I adore! As well as her youtube channel.

Oh the Family!

Nothing, and I mean NOTHING like a mother to ruin a perfectly good delivery. Oh, not the one giving birth. The one in the chair talking about how when she had babies...(insert whatever). 'It was easier, they didn't have all the gadgets, we didn't have all the medicines, they didn't have all the machines, they we're able to do it at home without anyone around, they didn't do all this complaining'. Doubtful. Then walks in the sister. The apple of the mother's eye. "See, now this one had no medicine! Absolutely natural birth." Sister nods in agreement. "Yep just a little pain medication in my IV and I was ready to go". Really?! Really?! As the patient looks distressed at this whole conversation all I can do is smile and shake my head. 

Even in the happy times as family members we set our loved ones up for failures. It's one extreme or the other. I see people sharing the horror stories of labor or how it was done successfully without any pain medication at all! I was told with my first child that there was 'nothing to it'. 'I shaved my legs at home in the bath and then went in and had a baby without any help'. Imagine what a HUGE disappointment I felt like when I was balled up crying asking for pain medication all while this person was in the room staring at me. I still shutter at the thought. Everybody is different. Everybody feels pain different. Every pregnancy is different. 

It is even worse when it is not such a happy time. Families are meant to stick together in rough times. And they are trying to be supportive. Bless their hearts. But sometimes they really don't get what kind of damaging things they say. "My sister's baby dad's cousin's uncle's new wife had a baby that was born and lived at 12 weeks". No. No she didn't. That baby might have lived, but not outside the womb and/or it wasn't 12 weeks. Something got confused somewhere. "I know this website, 'Strange Science Mysteries' maybe we can look up baby facts there". Please don't help your family members google things on unverified websites while grieving. Trust me when I say no good can come from it. "You couldn't afford that baby no way". Hmm. I'm gonna go with this is not helpful. "We can share mine!" Okay, I made that last one up. It was getting too serious...

So how does a family be loving and supportive and be actually loving and supportive? Easy, focus on the person laying in the bed going through the traumatic (happy or sad) experience. Sometimes it's without any words at all. A hand being held, a back rub, or even ice chips to cool her off. The bible gives us some insight. "Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them." Ephesians 4:29. This verse kept coming to mind all this past week. Not just for my patients, but for my co-workers, and for my family when I got home and I was so exhausted each night. And I love the 2 Corinthians 1:4-7 and in this context The Message has a great way of explaining it. "He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort-we get a full measure of that, too. When we suffer for Jesus, it works out for your healing and salvation. If we are treated well, given a helping hand and encouraging word, that also works to your benefit, spurring you on, face forward, unflinching. Your hard times are also our hard times. When we see that you're just willing to endure the hard times as to enjoy the good times, we know you're going to make it, no doubt about it."

Amen!

Planking is Dead

Just so you know!

See peeps. Planking is dangerous.

An Oldie Still Near My Heart

Talking with my Sunday night group, I got to share how mine and Josh's financial struggles have brought us so much closer to the Lord and to each other. I really feel without the past few years and all the struggles we would have never have grown as much as we have otherwise! I found a piece I wrote in 2009 sharing some of the beginning of the 'turn'. How our strength to wait, learn, listen, and depend upon the Lord.

I have been struggling a lot lately. My family situation at home has been quite unsettling. Josh and I are very fortunate don't get me wrong, but anytime a spouse loses a job it takes a toll on a family. I know that we are being provided for. I never doubt for one second that we are part of a plan. But I have a problem with things being on a schedule. It doesn't necessarily need to be my timeline, but I need to have one. I need to know what's next, what's coming, and what's ahead. The problem with mine and Josh's situation is we don't know exactly what to do, exactly what's next, and when it's coming. Not having a job, possibility of a job, and possibility of a career change has of course affected several other decisions of our lives. My heart tells me that everything will work out in His plan, but my stomach stays physically ill. I've prayed, Josh has prayed and several of our friends have prayed with us. This morning while crying out my complaints I heard from God in a book I've paid little attention to in the past. It was like He opened my bible just so I could hear Him speak. I felt compelled to share it because it moved me so much. Maybe I am the only one who has overlooked the book of Habakkuk, but if I'm not I want to share with you what I got out of it this morning.
It is funny how when we are hurting, our natural instinct is to turn to one of the New Testament books. I'm not even really sure how I got to Habakkuk this morning, which is even more praise to Him that he knew exactly what I needed. Habakkuk was a man and this book was dialogue between him and God alone. He wasn't talking, preaching, or teaching. He was questioning, crying out, and then praising.
In the first chapter Habakkuk carries a burden and lifts them up to the Lord. He asks, "how long?" and "why?". He wanted to know when God was going to do something about the rebellion and sinfulness of the nation of Judah and why sin was growing more rampant without being punished. The Lord did not give him a timeline but did say that a judgment would come.
After hearing this he cried out a second complaint. "O Lord, are you not from everlasting? My God, my Holy One, we will not die. O Lord, you have appointed them to execute judgment; O Rock, you have ordained them to punish." 1:12 Then Habakkuk did something that most of us, especially me, struggle with. He waited. He waited and God revealed his planned. Verse 2:1 says I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give this complaint." Amazing verse 2:2 starts with "THEN the Lord replied..". I made then capitalized because it is so easily overlooked. He waited and in the Lord's time THEN he replied. Habakkuk was revealed the plan and told to record it. My study bible has a little paragraph right after 2:4 that was speaking straight to me. "Are you waiting for Gods leading today? Good for You! If the light is red or even yellow, you're wise to let Him hold you back. When it turns green, you'll know it."

If you read all of my ramblings, thanks for listening-
"Lord, I have heard of your fame;
I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord.
Renew them in our day,
in our time make them known;
in wrath remember mercy."
Habakkuk 3:2 

Just looking back makes me praise Him in how much we've grown, how much I'VE grown. Schedule schmedule. Who needs a schedule when you're in God's watch? 

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7

Crazy but True!

My new 'problem' is my chin breaking out. It doesn't just break out and clear up in a couple of days. Oh nooo. It breaks out and stays for weeks at a time. I mean seriously, I'm thirty something years old. Why am I having acne?!? I've tried many different products, face creams, and face washes. I did not however, try the super expensive stuff. It's just not in our budget right now. I ended up at acne.org and searching home cures which lead me to apple cider vinegar.  http://www.acne.org/vinegar-as-a-topical-reviews/30/page1.html

It's only been a month or so but so far so good. I use the acv as a toner, diluted 1/2 with water, and only when I have a breakout (it is awfully drying on my skin). It hasn't prevented the breakouts but it has stopped them from lasting so long!

*I'll be sure to tell you if I have some crazy side affect months down the road :)

Job Satisfaction

I just happened to be talking to a good friend yesterday telling her about my job, why I chose where I did, and that I wanted to be able to keep some of these memories in writing. The 'joke' in my house is that I will be the earliest person with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Oh, we are not making fun of Alzheimer's make no mistake. But in regarding everything but my job my memory is, well, let's just say sucky. And getting worse. I've had some of the most amazing times in my job I would like to be able to look back and say, 'yeah that was when..'. Now me of all people know how strict the rules are about patients and their history, so sorry these stories will have to be selfishly be about me only. I'll try to keep the boredom to a minimum.

I went to nursing school with the sole intention of being a labor and delivery nurse. I never had any desire to do anything else. In fact, it was a labor and delivery nurse that convinced me that I was smart enough and still young enough to tackle nursing. Her name was Cynthia. Remind me to thank her because I will probably forget. I was working as a bartender at Texas Roadhouse and her and her husband would come in often. For some reason, I ended up taking care of them a lot. Our talks would usually end up to her job and where I saw myself in the future. She had no reason, no investment in me. But she sure did encourage. I already knew how hard nursing school would be but she gave me all the reasons what the hard work would be for. Also at this time was another co-worker going through nursing school. She was making it. Everyone said she was the smartest person in her class, but it gave me something to hold on to.

So I did it. Graduated, new baby and all. Wasn't that hard. Ha! Got my dream job right off the bat. Night shift, every weekend, night shift. Well that was a mood killer. Do you know how hard it is to work when everyone else is off? My good friend did it for years but I still think she's a ninja. Finally got my break to go to night shift 7 on 7 off. Woo hoo! So I thought. Turns out, I wasn't sleeping so well during the day. Three days of it is tolerable but 5 or 6 makes you a littttllleee batty. I would wake up after a couple of hours of sleep in a panic, thinking it was 6 or 7 at night (yeah right) crying because the kids were left at daycare. After trying to console me for a little while my husband, Josh eventually gave into to making it funny. He would bust into to the room, "Babe! Did you forget to get the girls!!!?!?" Yeah, that is a part I would like to forget. Some people are born nightshifters. The others have to work a little harder at it.

Fast forward a few years, now I am finally on my dream schedule of my dream job. Oh yeah, I make a whole lot less money on this shift. But I like to say I make up in personality what I lose in the paycheck. Josh tells me my eyes light up when I get to tell people what I do for a living. That I even get to come to a job like this everyday is amazing. Is it always a bed of roses because it's someones special day?! Well I can share this with you, I've been bitten, scratched, hit, kicked, peed on, cussed at, threatened, cried for nights or weeks at a time. I have also been hugged, kissed, prayed with, prayed about, cried, cried over, given thank you cards, given thank you gifts, given pictures, laughed with, and loved. I most definitely think you have to be called to be a labor and delivery nurse. Sure I don't have the skill set of med-surg nurse. But she/he doesn't have mine! These days though, I am not foolish enough to say I will be a labor and delivery nurse to the end of my career. God is mighty. Who am I to say I will be a labor and delivery nurse forever? I want to be where I can serve Him the most, the very best. That's what will bring me the most job satisfaction. Help me Lord not to forget!

Worship Time in the Car

http://youtu.be/AQGJdTpMUcU

Scripture on My Back

Those that know me have heard this story a hundred times before. Sorry for the repeat. A good family friend was running for a local office and we placed his bumper sticker on the back of our vehicle. Oh the trouble this tiny bumper sticker caused my road rage. I would be screaming from behind someone driving 41 in a 50 (people from around here know exactly what road I'm talking about), zoom around them when I got the chance only to find myself in complete guilt. Oh no! What if I just made my friend lose his election because of my terrible driving etiquette? So after a few weeks, I was able to stifle most of my road rage. What if we thought of our actions like this on a daily basis? If we had 'Jesus' stamped on our shirt or forehead constantly and always had to be a public representative of Christ. Not too long ago I was in the grocery store, again faced with this scenario. I was rushed, had bad kids with me (I know that never happens to anyone but me), couldn't find what I needed which made me even MORE late, and got behind the sloweeessssttt person ever. I don't hide emotions very well, so after much huffing and puffing and shortness with the cashier we were out of the store. Boy did I feel like a heel when we got out of the store and start to put our stuff up in the car and I realized what shirt I had on! Proverbs 14:31 "Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him." A shirt from our Homeless for a Night but man does it always apply. Look to my left and I see the sloweeessssttt person ever helping someone even slower and older get their groceries in the car.  Wow. We might be able to wear the scripture but can we live it out?  Help me Jesus to live it out more than I wear it!!