Sooo... yeah. I haven't posted in a while. Anyone who knows anythigng about my sechedule will understand. First, I went through four weeks of hell before we went off-campus to our long-term facility and the week before that I got sick so I was behind on assignments which has then put me behind on reading. We just had a test today that was over reading and as of this morning I got 3/4 of it done. Meh. I think I did alright on the test. Fortunately, I don't have to have an 80% on every test to pass the class but all my tests in the class have to average out to an 80% so I can afford one or two tests just below an 80.
I've been having a hard time dealing with the fact that I have to take pills six times a day and remembering all of them. Some I have to take with food, others I have to take on an empty stomach so I have to be careful when I eat. Mom got me a pill box two weeks ago and I found that really helped. If I miss some pills I can just see them in the box. They're a lot easier to carry around too, like when I have clinicals and stuff.
So, clinicals. They're interesting. Mostly I'm scared out of my wits. I am great with the one-on-one therapeutic relationship stuff but when it comes to actually doing nursing assignments I am so afraid that I'm going to miss something. I'm actually doing a physical assessment on my patient tomorrow under the watchful eye of my instructor. I'm definately going to be doing some review tonight. One intersting thing about my patient is that she has short-term memory loss so I doubt she will even remember me come tomorrow. I hope she just doesn't change her mind about being so cheerful and helpful.
Mostly, I can tell I am losing focus on God. I am being too down, spending too much time thinking about myself and how hard life is instead of taking the times that I can't focus enough to study just to read the Bible or something like that. Focusing on oneself and your own problems are how you get depressed. I can tell I'm getting that way. I also know that when I have quiet time I always study better during the day. I really need to be better about getting up early to do my quiet times and taking time during the day when I can't afford to lose the sleep.
I think at this point God is trying to make life as hard as I can stand it so I will admit that I can't do everythnig myself. I have always been a "go-get'em" person with a lot of energy and he has taken that away from me during one of the times in my life that would be very valuable. I wish I could put up some hyper spiritual post about how God is working in my life and I am learning lessons but I'm still going through the fire right now and I'm having a hard time getting all this information from my head to my heart. I've told God many times that I know I can't do this on my own, that I need his strength to complete school and the things he wants me to do here but I'm having a hard time keeping from moping around all the time. I've found that studying is a pretty good diversionary tool.
Yay for diversionary tools! :P
Anyway... mom's coming to pick me up again so we can go shopping. I am taking the afternoon off from studying.... but not the evening. She wants me to pick out some clothes for my birthday from a boutique store she found in downtown Kent. I'm really looking forward to this weekend. My sister planned some grand surprise party for me this weekend. I just know about what time to be ready and who all is coming. Even Megan (a girl I've known for over 10 years) says I'm really going to enjoy it.
Yay!
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Ramblings
I'm sorry I haven't blogged in a long time. I'm having quite the difficulties keeping up with my nursing assignments. They tell us that the load really lightens up once we start clinicals. Only one week away!!
Well, I didn't go to class today becasuse I am sick. I tried staying up late last night to finish a paper but I didn't get past the first page and went to bed at 1:00. I didn't even get my paper finished and I wake up sick!! Darnit! It's like the end of last year all over again! Now I have to finish that paper, start another one that is due tomorrow, and finish another assignment that is due tomorrow. Hmm... I wonder what time I'm getting to bed tonight.... This is the "week of hell" for the nursing students and I can't even make it to class... Why, Lord? Did you not think that nursing school was hard enough as it is? It's as if I have a part time job with all the extra sleep I need right now. With being sick this morning I missed two pill dosages, too.
I'm sick of beating around the bush when people ask me what's wrong. I've only told a couple of my closest friends the source for all these symptoms. I am only scared about how the nursing department would react because I'm not going about treating the problem in the "typical", "modern medical" way. You know what? I don't trust modern medicine ESPECIALLY when it comes to this field in particular. Research on diagnosis and treatment for modern medicine especially in this field is dictated by the FDA. The FDA has known for nearly 50 years the real source of the problem and they keep researching and treating it like it is something else. The FDA is not working in the interest of the patient, they are working in the interest of their pocketbooks!
That is something I find very interesting about God calling me to this field. One of the major reasons why I was never interested in the medical field especially as I was growing up is because I have seen more and more how the modern medical field is so intent on treating people's symptoms and not the root of the problem. Kids these days are taught that rhetoric from elementary school. "You have a headache? Oh, I'm sorry. Here's an Advil." Instead of "maybe you should not have stayed up so late last night" or "then you should go to bed and rest". You need to teach people how to take care of their bodies while they do what they love instead of teaching them how to ignore their bodies by masking the signs of a problem so they can go on and do whatever they want; abusing their God-given, miraculous, functional bodies by not exercising, eating a terrible diet, using drugs (prescription and non), and being sleep deprived, to name a few.
Don't worry. I'll make it public in a couple of weeks at the most. I just have to figure out when would be the best time to let the nursing department know. Perhaps they will start probing more now that I actually missed a class. My philosophy for the last couple of years is to always be truthful to a direct question. When my friends have asked me about my symptoms, I tell them about my symptoms. If someone actually asks me if I know what the root of the problem is, I just tell them that I'd rather not talk about it and they have all been great and left it at that. For the nursing department...that's not going to cut it. I rather wish that they would start probing so I don't have this nagging secret all the time.
Well, I didn't go to class today becasuse I am sick. I tried staying up late last night to finish a paper but I didn't get past the first page and went to bed at 1:00. I didn't even get my paper finished and I wake up sick!! Darnit! It's like the end of last year all over again! Now I have to finish that paper, start another one that is due tomorrow, and finish another assignment that is due tomorrow. Hmm... I wonder what time I'm getting to bed tonight.... This is the "week of hell" for the nursing students and I can't even make it to class... Why, Lord? Did you not think that nursing school was hard enough as it is? It's as if I have a part time job with all the extra sleep I need right now. With being sick this morning I missed two pill dosages, too.
I'm sick of beating around the bush when people ask me what's wrong. I've only told a couple of my closest friends the source for all these symptoms. I am only scared about how the nursing department would react because I'm not going about treating the problem in the "typical", "modern medical" way. You know what? I don't trust modern medicine ESPECIALLY when it comes to this field in particular. Research on diagnosis and treatment for modern medicine especially in this field is dictated by the FDA. The FDA has known for nearly 50 years the real source of the problem and they keep researching and treating it like it is something else. The FDA is not working in the interest of the patient, they are working in the interest of their pocketbooks!
That is something I find very interesting about God calling me to this field. One of the major reasons why I was never interested in the medical field especially as I was growing up is because I have seen more and more how the modern medical field is so intent on treating people's symptoms and not the root of the problem. Kids these days are taught that rhetoric from elementary school. "You have a headache? Oh, I'm sorry. Here's an Advil." Instead of "maybe you should not have stayed up so late last night" or "then you should go to bed and rest". You need to teach people how to take care of their bodies while they do what they love instead of teaching them how to ignore their bodies by masking the signs of a problem so they can go on and do whatever they want; abusing their God-given, miraculous, functional bodies by not exercising, eating a terrible diet, using drugs (prescription and non), and being sleep deprived, to name a few.
Don't worry. I'll make it public in a couple of weeks at the most. I just have to figure out when would be the best time to let the nursing department know. Perhaps they will start probing more now that I actually missed a class. My philosophy for the last couple of years is to always be truthful to a direct question. When my friends have asked me about my symptoms, I tell them about my symptoms. If someone actually asks me if I know what the root of the problem is, I just tell them that I'd rather not talk about it and they have all been great and left it at that. For the nursing department...that's not going to cut it. I rather wish that they would start probing so I don't have this nagging secret all the time.
Monday, September 05, 2005
Random stuff
So.... I'm really bummed. I got the test results back on Sunday and basically I have to cut out a lot of things from my diet to help my body heal from getting so sick. No more oil except for olive oil (honestly, when does the caf not use canola oil?), no sugar, pork, triglycerides, saturated fat, coffee, or sugary drinks. There's more but I'll just leave it at that. Basically, I have to eat a lot of fruit and vegetables. It appears that the hard part is not going to be fighting cravings because it is important to me to heal but simply getting enough food in me because of how pickey I have to be in the caf. I'm probably going to end up going home every weekend to pick up a variety of vegetables so I'll have some things to eat and snack on other than just broccoli, celery, and carrots.
We had our brother/sister floor retreat this weekend. It was so much fun!! On Saturday morning we hiked Twin Falls and when we got to the falls area Dan and Tyler said "hey, this looks like a good spot for cliff-jumping!" Some of us agreed, finished the hike, came back to the falls, and Cara, George, Tyler, and Dan jumped while I took pictures. It took them FOREVER to jump because they had to be sure they had a way of getting out of the pool because it was one in a series of pools at about the halfway point of the falls and just over the rocks was the 100 foot falls to the bottom. Pretty scary, huh? Well, they all jumped and really enjoyed it.
Classes have been really fun and interesting but VERY LONG!!! We learned things like how to make a bed with a person in it and how to give sponge baths. We're also being tested on medical abbreviations this week (which is really easy).
Cara and I recorded our answering machine message *rolls on the floor laughing*. It's soooo funny. It's based of The Emperor's New Groove and if you're familiar with the movie you'll love it. Our phone # is x6165 if you want to listen to it. Don't worry. We've already had like ten calls of people just wanting to listen to the recording and not leaving a message. Oh, and congrats to Rachel who plays the squirrel. She really steals the show.
Anyway, I have to get back to reading. Hopefully I won't fall asleep in the middle of a chapter this time....
We had our brother/sister floor retreat this weekend. It was so much fun!! On Saturday morning we hiked Twin Falls and when we got to the falls area Dan and Tyler said "hey, this looks like a good spot for cliff-jumping!" Some of us agreed, finished the hike, came back to the falls, and Cara, George, Tyler, and Dan jumped while I took pictures. It took them FOREVER to jump because they had to be sure they had a way of getting out of the pool because it was one in a series of pools at about the halfway point of the falls and just over the rocks was the 100 foot falls to the bottom. Pretty scary, huh? Well, they all jumped and really enjoyed it.
Classes have been really fun and interesting but VERY LONG!!! We learned things like how to make a bed with a person in it and how to give sponge baths. We're also being tested on medical abbreviations this week (which is really easy).
Cara and I recorded our answering machine message *rolls on the floor laughing*. It's soooo funny. It's based of The Emperor's New Groove and if you're familiar with the movie you'll love it. Our phone # is x6165 if you want to listen to it. Don't worry. We've already had like ten calls of people just wanting to listen to the recording and not leaving a message. Oh, and congrats to Rachel who plays the squirrel. She really steals the show.
Anyway, I have to get back to reading. Hopefully I won't fall asleep in the middle of a chapter this time....
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
I'm Baaaack!!
Wow! Back on campus!! Yay!!! I'm so happy to see all of my friends again. My arthritis is really settling back down to the level it should be at. I was so scared when it was all flaring up so badly. I was concerned that I would not be able to perform my duities as a nurse... I was questioning God's call on my life and I was scared for classes coming up. I gave it over to God because I am sure that he has called me to Nursing. So, like I say about other things: if God has made me this way and called me to do this, then it's his problem. I wish I could just get that into my head and not have to constantly deal with it whenever a new problem comes up. Oh well. I know that because of those types of things I am kept on my knees before God always having to give up my pride and my priorities to Him because he knows ALL of my potential.
My schedule is pretty much long days strung together. The shortest day I have is Tue which is from 8-10 and then 11:30-1:30. That is, until they add another class at 10. Thursday, I'm solid from 8am. to 6pm with a half hour break for lunch.... fun! Heh, right. I can't imagine that my days are going to be even longer once I start clinicals in a month. Then I start working at 7am and get off at 3:30. One of the reasons my days are so long is that Tue and Thu I have choir from 4-6. It may be a huge time committment right now but I am really excited about the stuff we're going to sing... and the scholarship doesn't hurt. ;-)
Anyway, I have to get to studying. Maybe a nap is in order too... zzzzzzzzzzzzz
My schedule is pretty much long days strung together. The shortest day I have is Tue which is from 8-10 and then 11:30-1:30. That is, until they add another class at 10. Thursday, I'm solid from 8am. to 6pm with a half hour break for lunch.... fun! Heh, right. I can't imagine that my days are going to be even longer once I start clinicals in a month. Then I start working at 7am and get off at 3:30. One of the reasons my days are so long is that Tue and Thu I have choir from 4-6. It may be a huge time committment right now but I am really excited about the stuff we're going to sing... and the scholarship doesn't hurt. ;-)
Anyway, I have to get to studying. Maybe a nap is in order too... zzzzzzzzzzzzz
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Why???
Argh. I've been having some serious flare-ups in the last couple of weeks. I dropped a piece of firewood because my thumb gave out on me and got like 30 tiny splinters all over my hand... I'm in pain whenever I climb a flight of stairs because of my knee... my wrist is killing me because of the caulking we have been doing on the house (now, why did that not happen when I was doing siding hauling planks of layered cement around a roof and nailing them in with a 5 lb. air gun?) my wrist even woke me up a couple of times last night... I'm completely unmotivated when it comes to working on the house and so my parents are really getting on my case and it's totally against my personality! I should be excited and a workaholic with a job like this! Where is my motivation? My spirit? My drive to work and serve?
I'm really concerned that this will spill over into school coming up in a week and a half. That scared me so much (along with the pain in my wrist) that I bawled while cleaning the baseboards in the master bedroom while my mom was right on the other side of the door frame and she still doesn't know. She really got on my case this morning saying that "you're a healthy young girl. Why do your wrists hurt so much when I feel only a little sore...I'm an old woman..." blah, blah, blah. I put off bawling until I got in my room because I'M NOT A HEALTHY YOUNG WOMAN RIGHT NOW!!!! WHY IS THAT?
Why do I have to have arthritis already that sometimes I can't lift a half-gallon of milk? Why do I have to be so tired that my energy level overrides my personality and my real desires to work and succeed? Why do I have to be prone to degenerative joint diseases like arthritis? Why do I have to bruise so easily? Why are my joints so loose that I can hardly wash a window without becoming exhausted because my muscles have to work overtime to keep my shoulder in socket and wash the window at the same time?
I went to my mom this morning after my bawling... (I was hoping I wouldn't get all emotional on her because she always takes it as "Elizabeth being emotional and unreasonable" Why does she have to be so hard? I know I have a lot of the same personality but I can't understand why she has to be such a brick wall... Not everyone has the emotional control she has! Personally, I think my personality is more balanced than hers is anyway! Let's not go there...) ...and I told her that either she would write out a check that morning to send my test to Dr. Lloyd or I would. And she's like "why the ultimatum?" And I'm like "Duh! Because the test has been filled out and sitting on the table for the last several weeks! When is that going to be sent out? I need to know what's wrong. By now, the test results won't come back before school starts anyway.
She then got on my case about dragging my feet to take the pills she and dad thought I should take. First, I'm terrible at remembering something like that. Second, they're guessing using their experiences with aches and pains. I could consume what they suggest, wait 30 days to try and figure out whether they work or not, or I can get a test done in a couple of weeks and know exactly what I'm supposed to be taking. Real hard, isn't it???
Argh!!
I thank God every day that I don't wake up feeling sick which has been for every day this last week except for yesterday morning. So that's improving... but all this other stuff is just dragging me down physically, mentally, and emotionally. I won't even have the week before school starts to wind down because my mom's going to come pick me up when she can so I can go and work on the house some more. Why don't I care? I should be so excited about this. This is the best business opportunity since their internet mall (with which, they had a guy planning to invest 5 million but a guy who worked with my parents tried to cut a side deal and subsequently blew up our deal. That was after investing over 35 thousand of our own money out of pocket. That's bankruptcy #2).
I really should stop ranting. I feel like I want to go on but I know I'll just be repeating myself. Please take some time right now and pray for me. I know you won't remember to pray later. I'm just feeling so hopeless.
I'm really concerned that this will spill over into school coming up in a week and a half. That scared me so much (along with the pain in my wrist) that I bawled while cleaning the baseboards in the master bedroom while my mom was right on the other side of the door frame and she still doesn't know. She really got on my case this morning saying that "you're a healthy young girl. Why do your wrists hurt so much when I feel only a little sore...I'm an old woman..." blah, blah, blah. I put off bawling until I got in my room because I'M NOT A HEALTHY YOUNG WOMAN RIGHT NOW!!!! WHY IS THAT?
Why do I have to have arthritis already that sometimes I can't lift a half-gallon of milk? Why do I have to be so tired that my energy level overrides my personality and my real desires to work and succeed? Why do I have to be prone to degenerative joint diseases like arthritis? Why do I have to bruise so easily? Why are my joints so loose that I can hardly wash a window without becoming exhausted because my muscles have to work overtime to keep my shoulder in socket and wash the window at the same time?
I went to my mom this morning after my bawling... (I was hoping I wouldn't get all emotional on her because she always takes it as "Elizabeth being emotional and unreasonable" Why does she have to be so hard? I know I have a lot of the same personality but I can't understand why she has to be such a brick wall... Not everyone has the emotional control she has! Personally, I think my personality is more balanced than hers is anyway! Let's not go there...) ...and I told her that either she would write out a check that morning to send my test to Dr. Lloyd or I would. And she's like "why the ultimatum?" And I'm like "Duh! Because the test has been filled out and sitting on the table for the last several weeks! When is that going to be sent out? I need to know what's wrong. By now, the test results won't come back before school starts anyway.
She then got on my case about dragging my feet to take the pills she and dad thought I should take. First, I'm terrible at remembering something like that. Second, they're guessing using their experiences with aches and pains. I could consume what they suggest, wait 30 days to try and figure out whether they work or not, or I can get a test done in a couple of weeks and know exactly what I'm supposed to be taking. Real hard, isn't it???
Argh!!
I thank God every day that I don't wake up feeling sick which has been for every day this last week except for yesterday morning. So that's improving... but all this other stuff is just dragging me down physically, mentally, and emotionally. I won't even have the week before school starts to wind down because my mom's going to come pick me up when she can so I can go and work on the house some more. Why don't I care? I should be so excited about this. This is the best business opportunity since their internet mall (with which, they had a guy planning to invest 5 million but a guy who worked with my parents tried to cut a side deal and subsequently blew up our deal. That was after investing over 35 thousand of our own money out of pocket. That's bankruptcy #2).
I really should stop ranting. I feel like I want to go on but I know I'll just be repeating myself. Please take some time right now and pray for me. I know you won't remember to pray later. I'm just feeling so hopeless.
Monday, August 08, 2005
Squatty and the Friendship song
So, like I said... Squatty and the friendship song...
Before every meal we have to bus the seniors down to the dining hall because our lodge is at the top of a hill so we had to plan "pre-meal entertainment". Right before the last meal, Laura and I were "squatties" (where you are the face and legs of the character and someone else is the arms). Since the theme of the camp this year was "friendship" we did two little acts. The first was where I told the story of some of my best friends who came to an untimely end...I then break into emotional song of the Three Blind Mice. Laura then chastises me to use more of my vocabulary and breaks into another, wordier version (a trio of rodents with defective vision...observe how they motate...they all pursued the wife of an agriculturalist/ she cut off their tails with a culinary utensil/ in the expance of your existance have you ever witnessed such a phonomenon/ as a trio of rodents with defective vision (hahaha! So funny!) Perhaps you have to hear it to understand... ;-) )
Anyway! We then improvved to get to the point where we sang a duet of the Friendship song from a play put on at our church several years ago...well the problem came with the chorus. It goes "friendship, yes friendship/ we belong together on the good ship friendship/ tummies are for tickles..." So the plan was for Brittany (my arms) to tickle Laura... she didn't. She tickled me! So it was like I was tickling myself! I pretty much collapsed on the spot because she hit me in exactly the right place on my stomach. The seniors burst out laughing and it took several seconds for Laura and I to return our composure before continuing on. So we roll around to the chorus again...and Brittany does it again! This time Laura suggests we go to the beginning of the chorus and finish the song. When we got to the tickling part I did not let her have the chance again. I crosssed my arms over my stomach...which looks like someone unnaturally crossing their legs over their waist...weird, right? Well, it turned out hilarious and it was a bigger hit than expected. Angela managed to get the friendship song section on tape because she was too late to get the three blind mice section. Yeah...I'm pretty sure I'm going to see that tape again. She will probably show it the Sunday night we share about camp at church
Well, I wish I had time to share about everyone coming over this weekend, but I have to be up early tomorrow morning to go and work at the house.
Before every meal we have to bus the seniors down to the dining hall because our lodge is at the top of a hill so we had to plan "pre-meal entertainment". Right before the last meal, Laura and I were "squatties" (where you are the face and legs of the character and someone else is the arms). Since the theme of the camp this year was "friendship" we did two little acts. The first was where I told the story of some of my best friends who came to an untimely end...I then break into emotional song of the Three Blind Mice. Laura then chastises me to use more of my vocabulary and breaks into another, wordier version (a trio of rodents with defective vision...observe how they motate...they all pursued the wife of an agriculturalist/ she cut off their tails with a culinary utensil/ in the expance of your existance have you ever witnessed such a phonomenon/ as a trio of rodents with defective vision (hahaha! So funny!) Perhaps you have to hear it to understand... ;-) )
Anyway! We then improvved to get to the point where we sang a duet of the Friendship song from a play put on at our church several years ago...well the problem came with the chorus. It goes "friendship, yes friendship/ we belong together on the good ship friendship/ tummies are for tickles..." So the plan was for Brittany (my arms) to tickle Laura... she didn't. She tickled me! So it was like I was tickling myself! I pretty much collapsed on the spot because she hit me in exactly the right place on my stomach. The seniors burst out laughing and it took several seconds for Laura and I to return our composure before continuing on. So we roll around to the chorus again...and Brittany does it again! This time Laura suggests we go to the beginning of the chorus and finish the song. When we got to the tickling part I did not let her have the chance again. I crosssed my arms over my stomach...which looks like someone unnaturally crossing their legs over their waist...weird, right? Well, it turned out hilarious and it was a bigger hit than expected. Angela managed to get the friendship song section on tape because she was too late to get the three blind mice section. Yeah...I'm pretty sure I'm going to see that tape again. She will probably show it the Sunday night we share about camp at church
Well, I wish I had time to share about everyone coming over this weekend, but I have to be up early tomorrow morning to go and work at the house.
Friday, August 05, 2005
Senior's Camp
So last week was hecka hard because my brother and I worked practically full time trying to finish the siding on the other house before the appraiser came on Friday. We were up on the roof or on scaffolding the entire week with all the hot weather we have been having. It was FREAKIN' HOT! We got there at about 9, took long breaks from about 12:00-1:30 so we wouldn't be on the roof during the hottest part of the day, and got home at 5 or 6 every day. I haven't sweatted that much since Sophomore year when I had a volleyball coach who was like a drill instructor. Anyway, I got through the week pretty well though I had a hard time dealing with my "supervisor"
Neil knows how to do pretty much everything. He's had just about every job under the sun. But when he has to organize and multitask he is very illogical and inefficient. By Friday morning when he told me to move a pile of scrap wood for the second time that day (not including the unnecessary move the day before) I couldn't take any more. I called my mom on the phone and pretty much just complained to her and bawled. Yeah, it sounds kindof stupid but I was under a lot of stress trying to get this job done as well as prepare myself mentally, emotionally, and spiritually for ministering to seniors the next week. We got that worked out and I had a good talk with my dad afterwards about how to handle situations and what to learn from this experience.
So, Union Gospel Mission Senior's Camp.... It was great! (UGM takes low-income seniors to a 3 day camp each year and my church has supplied the volunteers for the last 10 years. Attendance usually averages around 50-60 seniors with about 10 Spanish speakers. This year we had 45 English speakers and 16 Spanish speakers. The most Spanish speakers in camp history!) This is the fourth year I have volunteered there and this was definately the best year of all. Each year I have been the head interpreter (I was the only person in the group who knew ANY Spanish my first year) but this year I was there only as full time interpreter. That means I didn't have to lead a group of seniors as well as interpret during the devotionals. It was great. During the craft and game times I just had to interpret the instructions and rules and then I could relax while their team leaders took it from there. I then stood and interpreted for a half an hour at a time while the team leaders got a break. It worked out so well. I arranged with Angela, the coordinator from our church group, a nap time on the second day and let her know the problems I have been having with energy recently and she really respected that and didn't ask me to do more things than I could do (I have a hard time saying no).
I was also concerned going into the camp because I hadn't had time... or taken the time... to prepare myself for serving in camp because of working at the other house and plans for people to come over to my house from Aug. 5-7. Pretty much all I got in before starting ministry was "Lord, please correct any problems with my attitude, help me to be a good witness to the seniors, that I interpret well, and you would be glorified". It's amazing how the Lord works through broken pots. Though I was pretty tired during those days it never hindered my ministry or witness. I give the Lord all the praise and honor for the work and service he enabled me to do.
I really have to go to bed now because I have some things to do before people start arriving here tomorrow... otherwise I would tell you the story of Squatty and the friendship song. Let's just say, the song didn't go as planned but it was definately hilarious! I'm glad it got on tape. It was even funnier to watch it than be in it.... well, to bed.
Lata!
Neil knows how to do pretty much everything. He's had just about every job under the sun. But when he has to organize and multitask he is very illogical and inefficient. By Friday morning when he told me to move a pile of scrap wood for the second time that day (not including the unnecessary move the day before) I couldn't take any more. I called my mom on the phone and pretty much just complained to her and bawled. Yeah, it sounds kindof stupid but I was under a lot of stress trying to get this job done as well as prepare myself mentally, emotionally, and spiritually for ministering to seniors the next week. We got that worked out and I had a good talk with my dad afterwards about how to handle situations and what to learn from this experience.
So, Union Gospel Mission Senior's Camp.... It was great! (UGM takes low-income seniors to a 3 day camp each year and my church has supplied the volunteers for the last 10 years. Attendance usually averages around 50-60 seniors with about 10 Spanish speakers. This year we had 45 English speakers and 16 Spanish speakers. The most Spanish speakers in camp history!) This is the fourth year I have volunteered there and this was definately the best year of all. Each year I have been the head interpreter (I was the only person in the group who knew ANY Spanish my first year) but this year I was there only as full time interpreter. That means I didn't have to lead a group of seniors as well as interpret during the devotionals. It was great. During the craft and game times I just had to interpret the instructions and rules and then I could relax while their team leaders took it from there. I then stood and interpreted for a half an hour at a time while the team leaders got a break. It worked out so well. I arranged with Angela, the coordinator from our church group, a nap time on the second day and let her know the problems I have been having with energy recently and she really respected that and didn't ask me to do more things than I could do (I have a hard time saying no).
I was also concerned going into the camp because I hadn't had time... or taken the time... to prepare myself for serving in camp because of working at the other house and plans for people to come over to my house from Aug. 5-7. Pretty much all I got in before starting ministry was "Lord, please correct any problems with my attitude, help me to be a good witness to the seniors, that I interpret well, and you would be glorified". It's amazing how the Lord works through broken pots. Though I was pretty tired during those days it never hindered my ministry or witness. I give the Lord all the praise and honor for the work and service he enabled me to do.
I really have to go to bed now because I have some things to do before people start arriving here tomorrow... otherwise I would tell you the story of Squatty and the friendship song. Let's just say, the song didn't go as planned but it was definately hilarious! I'm glad it got on tape. It was even funnier to watch it than be in it.... well, to bed.
Lata!
Monday, July 25, 2005
Frustrated
First of all, a summary of the weekend: On Saturday I went shopping for my sister's birthday and got her some awesome stuff at a tiny outlet store. I am going back there sometime for myself!! Then our sister Kimberlie brought us out to see Jesus the Nazarine at the open air amphitheater (sp?). It was great! I did not agree with the fact that everyone was yelling ALL THE TIME even though they had an awesome sound system. I'm not going to explain the dramatic logistics of constantly yelling, but it's not something you want to do. I also didn't like how the scene got so busy sometimes that you couldn't figure out what you were supposed to be watching. The brawl in the jail, the Romans running through on their horses chasing Barabbas, the Sanhedrin making a fuss, or followers of Jesus talking excitedly? etc. All at the same time!! Despite all that, it was an awesome production. It was HUGE and breathtaking.
On Sunday my church had our annual Ice Cream Social with sharing time during the evening service. Both my mom and I stood up and shared our testimony along with about 10 other people. I then got to catch up with my best friend since I was 4 years old for several hours afterwards. It was great!
Now, you're probably wondering why the title says 'frustrated'. I'm getting to that:
Ever since I got sick near the end of last semester at school I have woken up every morning feeling sick. I have a hard time eating breakfast and then need an early lunch. I have to take a nap during the day nearly every day even after sleeping solidly for 8 hours overnight. Today was especially hard. I was supposed to work at the other house painting inside and cleaning up construction debris outside. After only 2 hours I was exhausted. I called my mom. I then finished up what I had to and got off the clock after 4 hours, went downstairs, and slept until my brother was done an hour later. I then came home, played a comp game, ate dinner, and fell asleep again watching a special golf tournament on the tv with my dad. We watched a movie together and now I'm ready to go to bed again and start the cycle over.
I'm supposed to get some testing done in the next week to find out what is wrong. I think I probably depleted myself of something during that time in school and for some reason it hasn't been replenished yet. I have another, darker, theory but I'm not going to share that right now. Just please pray for me that my sickness and exhaustion is something simple and not anything serious. I hate being tired. I love to study, work, and play all day and sleep solidly at night.
On Sunday my church had our annual Ice Cream Social with sharing time during the evening service. Both my mom and I stood up and shared our testimony along with about 10 other people. I then got to catch up with my best friend since I was 4 years old for several hours afterwards. It was great!
Now, you're probably wondering why the title says 'frustrated'. I'm getting to that:
Ever since I got sick near the end of last semester at school I have woken up every morning feeling sick. I have a hard time eating breakfast and then need an early lunch. I have to take a nap during the day nearly every day even after sleeping solidly for 8 hours overnight. Today was especially hard. I was supposed to work at the other house painting inside and cleaning up construction debris outside. After only 2 hours I was exhausted. I called my mom. I then finished up what I had to and got off the clock after 4 hours, went downstairs, and slept until my brother was done an hour later. I then came home, played a comp game, ate dinner, and fell asleep again watching a special golf tournament on the tv with my dad. We watched a movie together and now I'm ready to go to bed again and start the cycle over.
I'm supposed to get some testing done in the next week to find out what is wrong. I think I probably depleted myself of something during that time in school and for some reason it hasn't been replenished yet. I have another, darker, theory but I'm not going to share that right now. Just please pray for me that my sickness and exhaustion is something simple and not anything serious. I hate being tired. I love to study, work, and play all day and sleep solidly at night.
Friday
So, Friday morning I went out to the garage (AKA dad's shop. He's an auto mechanic that works out of the garage in the back) and sat down to get some intensive lessons on options trading. My dad began doing that this week after studying it for several months and trading various things in the stock market for 30 years. It looks like he has finally found something that is going to work! He started officially trading on Monday and by Wednesday he was up a couple of hundred dollars. On Thursday, he traded with mom right there all day and made over a thousand dollars!
So Friday, I sat down with him and the trading was all over the board!! There are ways to read where the trades are going to go next and no one was doing what was predicted! We ended up behind over six hundred by the end of the day. But that's alright. We're still ahead overall. I'm so proud of my dad. He's been working on cars for the last 35 years and has been sick and tired of it for quite a while now. He's tried starting up other companies that he thought would not only get us ahead, but always plans that would benefit a large number of people. Unfortunately, those sorts of things made us bankrupt twice. I've pretty much grown up penny-pinching. I've never had name-brand clothing, or even new clothing at that. We nearly always shop at thrift stores (unless it's our birthday or Christmas) and we usually don't have snacks in the house simply because of how much they cost. Yes, they're not healthy either, but if we had the money there would be goodies lying around on a regular basis. I have never travelled with my family outside of Wa., Or., or Id. because dad can't take time off of work. There were times when I did not have more than three pairs of clothes and two pairs of shoes (tennis shoes and church shoes). The hardest thing to take in my life because of money was stopping piano lessons. I was crushed.
But you know what? God had a plan for all that. Because of that, I know how to care for a garden, darn socks, sew and mend clothes, repair the house, and generally make money stretch farther than you ever thought possible. If my piano lessons had not stopped when they did, I would have had a much harder time switching from a music major to a nursing major when God told me to. He was saving me from much worse pain in the future while allowing me to grow in my skills enough so I could continue on my own (somewhat) and still be valuable with my hard earned talents.
When we were at our family reunion a couple of weeks ago, my dad gave us the credit card so we could go shopping at an outlet store in Seaside. When we returned dad asked for the card back and I teased him that I emptied it for him because he got some ribbing from my aunts and uncles that he was giving us the credit card before we left. As I handed it back to him he said "yeah, sure" with a face that seemed to read that he completely trusted me with his money. As I excitedly told him of the great buys I found on some clothes that I really needed his face glowed with appreciation and trust that I was a money saver, not a money spender. I was so happy that he was proud of me!!
I've recently read a book called "Created to Be His Help Meet" which has not only helped prepare me for marriage and helping my man according to what is outlined in the Bible, but it has also helped me understand my dad's personality. He is what Debi Pearl describes as a "steady" man. "...They make wise, well-thought-out decisions. They are rarely rash or foolish, although (to their discredit) they will sometimes tolerate foolishness or error without dissent...." "...A steady man likes a woman to walk beside him, yet grow in her own right before God and him. If you are married to a Mr. Steady [or a daughter to him] you need to get familiar with Proverbs 31 to know how to be an active help meet to your man. Your husband [or father] will enjoy and share your triumphs in business. He will be proud of your accomplishments. He will want you to use your natural skills, abilities, and drives. Your achievements will be an honor to him, but lazy slothfulness will greatly discourage him. Your wasting of time and spending money foolishly will weigh heavily on him, robbing him of his pride and pleasure in you..."
Along with him being proud of me for being a hard worker, I have come to realize the real reason why he will not get involved with my relationships. I currently have three different guys that would most likely give me a ring at the drop of a hat. I had been rather bitter at my father for several years for not seeming to care about if a guy was pursuing me. Life would have been much easier for me if my father had taken the opportunity to at least tell me what he THINKS of a guy, let alone help chase him off if the necessity arises. But it's not that he doesn't care, it's that he is happiest when others around him are happy. He is so concerned with me making my own decisions (because he trusts me) so that I will be happy at all costs and when I am happy, he will be happy. His standoffishness is really only his expression of love to me. His current success is a culmination of 30 years of hard work trying to study the stock market and still working his daily mundane job in the mean time to provide for us.
For all you girls out there, I HIGHLY reccommend this book by Debi Pearl if you want to know the biblical outline for a biblically successful wife from a biblically successful wife with a successful mom and several successful children. If you have a problem with the whole wives being in submission to their husbands, first off, you should read the bible, second, you'll probably hate this book. It is geared and directed towards married women needing to save, repair, rebuild, or grow their marriages as well as unmarried women preparing for marriage. Very little is mentioned about the husband's role to love his wife like Christ loves the church and such because that is not the target audience! If you want the book, let me know. I can get it to you for 12.00$ because we get a discount direct from the Pearls for bulk orders.
I have more opinions on the above topics. Let me know if you want an earful! For now, that's enough. I have to go to bed now.
Hmm....I do believe this is my longest blog yet!
So Friday, I sat down with him and the trading was all over the board!! There are ways to read where the trades are going to go next and no one was doing what was predicted! We ended up behind over six hundred by the end of the day. But that's alright. We're still ahead overall. I'm so proud of my dad. He's been working on cars for the last 35 years and has been sick and tired of it for quite a while now. He's tried starting up other companies that he thought would not only get us ahead, but always plans that would benefit a large number of people. Unfortunately, those sorts of things made us bankrupt twice. I've pretty much grown up penny-pinching. I've never had name-brand clothing, or even new clothing at that. We nearly always shop at thrift stores (unless it's our birthday or Christmas) and we usually don't have snacks in the house simply because of how much they cost. Yes, they're not healthy either, but if we had the money there would be goodies lying around on a regular basis. I have never travelled with my family outside of Wa., Or., or Id. because dad can't take time off of work. There were times when I did not have more than three pairs of clothes and two pairs of shoes (tennis shoes and church shoes). The hardest thing to take in my life because of money was stopping piano lessons. I was crushed.
But you know what? God had a plan for all that. Because of that, I know how to care for a garden, darn socks, sew and mend clothes, repair the house, and generally make money stretch farther than you ever thought possible. If my piano lessons had not stopped when they did, I would have had a much harder time switching from a music major to a nursing major when God told me to. He was saving me from much worse pain in the future while allowing me to grow in my skills enough so I could continue on my own (somewhat) and still be valuable with my hard earned talents.
When we were at our family reunion a couple of weeks ago, my dad gave us the credit card so we could go shopping at an outlet store in Seaside. When we returned dad asked for the card back and I teased him that I emptied it for him because he got some ribbing from my aunts and uncles that he was giving us the credit card before we left. As I handed it back to him he said "yeah, sure" with a face that seemed to read that he completely trusted me with his money. As I excitedly told him of the great buys I found on some clothes that I really needed his face glowed with appreciation and trust that I was a money saver, not a money spender. I was so happy that he was proud of me!!
I've recently read a book called "Created to Be His Help Meet" which has not only helped prepare me for marriage and helping my man according to what is outlined in the Bible, but it has also helped me understand my dad's personality. He is what Debi Pearl describes as a "steady" man. "...They make wise, well-thought-out decisions. They are rarely rash or foolish, although (to their discredit) they will sometimes tolerate foolishness or error without dissent...." "...A steady man likes a woman to walk beside him, yet grow in her own right before God and him. If you are married to a Mr. Steady [or a daughter to him] you need to get familiar with Proverbs 31 to know how to be an active help meet to your man. Your husband [or father] will enjoy and share your triumphs in business. He will be proud of your accomplishments. He will want you to use your natural skills, abilities, and drives. Your achievements will be an honor to him, but lazy slothfulness will greatly discourage him. Your wasting of time and spending money foolishly will weigh heavily on him, robbing him of his pride and pleasure in you..."
Along with him being proud of me for being a hard worker, I have come to realize the real reason why he will not get involved with my relationships. I currently have three different guys that would most likely give me a ring at the drop of a hat. I had been rather bitter at my father for several years for not seeming to care about if a guy was pursuing me. Life would have been much easier for me if my father had taken the opportunity to at least tell me what he THINKS of a guy, let alone help chase him off if the necessity arises. But it's not that he doesn't care, it's that he is happiest when others around him are happy. He is so concerned with me making my own decisions (because he trusts me) so that I will be happy at all costs and when I am happy, he will be happy. His standoffishness is really only his expression of love to me. His current success is a culmination of 30 years of hard work trying to study the stock market and still working his daily mundane job in the mean time to provide for us.
For all you girls out there, I HIGHLY reccommend this book by Debi Pearl if you want to know the biblical outline for a biblically successful wife from a biblically successful wife with a successful mom and several successful children. If you have a problem with the whole wives being in submission to their husbands, first off, you should read the bible, second, you'll probably hate this book. It is geared and directed towards married women needing to save, repair, rebuild, or grow their marriages as well as unmarried women preparing for marriage. Very little is mentioned about the husband's role to love his wife like Christ loves the church and such because that is not the target audience! If you want the book, let me know. I can get it to you for 12.00$ because we get a discount direct from the Pearls for bulk orders.
I have more opinions on the above topics. Let me know if you want an earful! For now, that's enough. I have to go to bed now.
Hmm....I do believe this is my longest blog yet!
Sunday, July 24, 2005
Color: Y - Condition: exposed femur fracture, fractured ankle...
So, I had quite the adventure on Thursday. I participated in a training exercise with the Port of Seattle where they have to put on a mass casualty exercise every three years. Katherine and I arrived at SeaTac airport at 6:00 in the morning and signed in. While we were in line waiting for our "causualty cards" which tell the aid crew what our condition is, one guy was asking around if anyone wanted any specific injuries. Katherine and I volunteered and her condition was to be paralyzed from the waist down, and I had an open femur fracture and a fractured ankle. Unfortunately, to get that, I was given probably the gaudiest thing I have ever seen IN MY LIFE!!! It was a skirt/blouse outfit probably made targeting the older, larger, black women crowd. It had a rediculous red, black, white, and blue pattern. I thought it was pretty funny and I wanted a leg injury so I agreed.
After getting changed and decked out in makeup we got a briefing on safety and what was planned to happen. We were then placed ourselves out in the field with mylar blankets, sunscreen, water and food. We waited 15 minutes for the drill to start, another 15 minutes for the primary fire crews to get to us and classify our injuries, whether we were red (critical), yellow (immediate), or blue (delayed). It then took another 15 minutes for the aid and fire units to arrive and start carting off the reds. When the crews finally got to me I had been lying in the field with my mylar blanket covering me to protect me from the sun for an hour and a half. By then the firemen weren't even playing along with the drill. I mean, how much fun is it to play like you have a broken leg? I remember playing firemen and victim a lot when I was a kid....actually playing that my right arm was dislocated for the first time... anyway
So the guys were teasing me about the fact that though my leg and ankle looked nasty, I must be playing around with them. They suggested cutting my leg off with a pocket knife right there and looked at me funny when I tried playing the part of an INJURED PERSON!!!
Then they strapped me to a backboard (and I commented to them that I was VERY glad I didn't actually have a broken leg because all that josteling would have been VERY painful). They then laid me on a mat out in the parking lot with the other yellows and left me in full sun, still strapped to my backboard, for at least five minutes. By the time they came to pick me up and put me in an ambulance I almost threw up because of the sun. They then took us to a drop off point where we would be picked up by busses to be taken to the Weyerhaeuser hangar so we could eat lunch. I got out of the ambulance, sat down in the bus, stood up again, walked out of the bus, and threw up. This was repeated twice more. The last time I was cleaning out my mouth (again) and the bus left without me! I had to wait another 20 minutes for the next bus to arrive and take the last of the volunteers to lunch. Actually, it was probably better that way. I don't know if I could have handled a long bus ride right then anyway.
So we drove to the hangar and instead of eating lunch I slept through it because I wouldn't be able to keep anything down anyway.
Now by this point you may be thinking "well, why did she go and do a thing like that anyway!". Let me tell you, I had a great time! I got to be part of a safety drill to help train our fire and aid units, I got to dress up in an outfit because of which everyone knew me, I got to pretend like I was in a lot of pain during which the medics couldn’t tell the difference between acting and actually being hurt, I got to be put on a backboard in the first time in my life, ride in an ambulance for the third time ever, and have a great bonding experience with my sister at the same time! Now tell me that I didn’t enjoy myself!
On top of that, I got to go and see Batman Begins for the first time with my mom and dad that night. I am going to buy that movie!! What a great day!!
I'm going to have to update you on what happened Friday and Saturday tomorrow...I have to go to bed!
After getting changed and decked out in makeup we got a briefing on safety and what was planned to happen. We were then placed ourselves out in the field with mylar blankets, sunscreen, water and food. We waited 15 minutes for the drill to start, another 15 minutes for the primary fire crews to get to us and classify our injuries, whether we were red (critical), yellow (immediate), or blue (delayed). It then took another 15 minutes for the aid and fire units to arrive and start carting off the reds. When the crews finally got to me I had been lying in the field with my mylar blanket covering me to protect me from the sun for an hour and a half. By then the firemen weren't even playing along with the drill. I mean, how much fun is it to play like you have a broken leg? I remember playing firemen and victim a lot when I was a kid....actually playing that my right arm was dislocated for the first time... anyway
So the guys were teasing me about the fact that though my leg and ankle looked nasty, I must be playing around with them. They suggested cutting my leg off with a pocket knife right there and looked at me funny when I tried playing the part of an INJURED PERSON!!!
Then they strapped me to a backboard (and I commented to them that I was VERY glad I didn't actually have a broken leg because all that josteling would have been VERY painful). They then laid me on a mat out in the parking lot with the other yellows and left me in full sun, still strapped to my backboard, for at least five minutes. By the time they came to pick me up and put me in an ambulance I almost threw up because of the sun. They then took us to a drop off point where we would be picked up by busses to be taken to the Weyerhaeuser hangar so we could eat lunch. I got out of the ambulance, sat down in the bus, stood up again, walked out of the bus, and threw up. This was repeated twice more. The last time I was cleaning out my mouth (again) and the bus left without me! I had to wait another 20 minutes for the next bus to arrive and take the last of the volunteers to lunch. Actually, it was probably better that way. I don't know if I could have handled a long bus ride right then anyway.
So we drove to the hangar and instead of eating lunch I slept through it because I wouldn't be able to keep anything down anyway.
Now by this point you may be thinking "well, why did she go and do a thing like that anyway!". Let me tell you, I had a great time! I got to be part of a safety drill to help train our fire and aid units, I got to dress up in an outfit because of which everyone knew me, I got to pretend like I was in a lot of pain during which the medics couldn’t tell the difference between acting and actually being hurt, I got to be put on a backboard in the first time in my life, ride in an ambulance for the third time ever, and have a great bonding experience with my sister at the same time! Now tell me that I didn’t enjoy myself!
On top of that, I got to go and see Batman Begins for the first time with my mom and dad that night. I am going to buy that movie!! What a great day!!
I'm going to have to update you on what happened Friday and Saturday tomorrow...I have to go to bed!
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Work and stuff
Hey, my parents aren't here!! Wow, it's almost like school again, except my roommates are my siblings and I have a heck of a lot of yardwork instead of homework to do.
So, I spent a total of 8 hours doing yardwork yesterday. The lawnmower has been broken for a couple of weeks and we just got a new one so the entire lawn needs to be mowed. That's going to take forever. Just one half of the front yard took me 6 hours to do with most of the weedwacking on that side (I have about a half acre of lawn scattered about the property). The other side was supposed to get done today but I ended up working at the other house today for 5 and 1/2 hours doing....(drumroll)...weeding and landscaping!! Why is it I can't excape it? Just a day after killing myself at home I don't get to paint, or put up siding, I get to pull grass again. I was awfully successful at making myself so sore that I can barely bend over and I hardly have the dexterity to type, let alone play the piano.
ARGH!! I hate cramming in as much work as you can into one week. I'll come out with a good paycheck but I'm going to be so tired all the time that I won't be as motivated come work next week. Well, we're supposed to see Batman Begins sometime this week and this weekend I'm going to be hanging out with Cara and George (YAY!!!!). Then in two weeks Tim from Northwest is getting married and my godfather hasn't returned my call on if I can stay at his ranch for a couple of days before the wedding. I so hope he says yes! I'll get to work for a couple of hours a day and ride horses the rest of the time!!! It's been a while since I've been on a horse for any length of time. I really miss it.
Actually, the last time I was on one of uncle Abel's horses she threw me off and I have never been in so much pain in my whole life. That was an interesting experience but I'm ready to do it again.
So, I spent a total of 8 hours doing yardwork yesterday. The lawnmower has been broken for a couple of weeks and we just got a new one so the entire lawn needs to be mowed. That's going to take forever. Just one half of the front yard took me 6 hours to do with most of the weedwacking on that side (I have about a half acre of lawn scattered about the property). The other side was supposed to get done today but I ended up working at the other house today for 5 and 1/2 hours doing....(drumroll)...weeding and landscaping!! Why is it I can't excape it? Just a day after killing myself at home I don't get to paint, or put up siding, I get to pull grass again. I was awfully successful at making myself so sore that I can barely bend over and I hardly have the dexterity to type, let alone play the piano.
ARGH!! I hate cramming in as much work as you can into one week. I'll come out with a good paycheck but I'm going to be so tired all the time that I won't be as motivated come work next week. Well, we're supposed to see Batman Begins sometime this week and this weekend I'm going to be hanging out with Cara and George (YAY!!!!). Then in two weeks Tim from Northwest is getting married and my godfather hasn't returned my call on if I can stay at his ranch for a couple of days before the wedding. I so hope he says yes! I'll get to work for a couple of hours a day and ride horses the rest of the time!!! It's been a while since I've been on a horse for any length of time. I really miss it.
Actually, the last time I was on one of uncle Abel's horses she threw me off and I have never been in so much pain in my whole life. That was an interesting experience but I'm ready to do it again.
Friday, June 10, 2005
toothpaste...
During these weeks that I am at home interacting with my lovely family again I have the tiring and constant job of learning how to appreciate someone even when you don't really like them. How to see past someone's constant shortfalls and inconsiderations to anyone other than themselves and love them with a Christ-like love. How to thank God for someone's influence in your life when you find out your favorite pair of socks is dirty again when you didn't wear them, and how to do that EVERY TIME there is a situation like the proverbial "tube of toothpaste".
I have to constantly remind myself of what God must go through when watching me be selfish, inconsiderate, and impolite to Him, the creator of the universe that has and always will be trying to win my heart like whomever will be my future husband. He is the cosmic lover of my soul and I constantly disregard him. As a more..."down-to-earth"...reminder, I think of it as a training and practicing ground for when I am married. The role of a woman is not to change her man, force him to squeeze the toothpaste the same way she does, but learn how to live with someone with a different personality and giftings from the Lord and honor him...even LIKE him...irregardless.
On a slightly different note, please pray for Loren, Katherine, and I as we will be home alone for all of next week while our parents are out vacationing alone(!!!). (It was so hard to get them to go! My mom doesn't know how to take a vacation. I think she needs some more practice...) Anyway, please pray that Loren will be responsible with himself and his friends while our parents are out of town, and that my sister and I will be able to connect more...actually that we would all be able to connect more and that this won't be an opportunity for satan to thrown in some discord via irresponsibility.
Thank you all for your support!
I have to constantly remind myself of what God must go through when watching me be selfish, inconsiderate, and impolite to Him, the creator of the universe that has and always will be trying to win my heart like whomever will be my future husband. He is the cosmic lover of my soul and I constantly disregard him. As a more..."down-to-earth"...reminder, I think of it as a training and practicing ground for when I am married. The role of a woman is not to change her man, force him to squeeze the toothpaste the same way she does, but learn how to live with someone with a different personality and giftings from the Lord and honor him...even LIKE him...irregardless.
On a slightly different note, please pray for Loren, Katherine, and I as we will be home alone for all of next week while our parents are out vacationing alone(!!!). (It was so hard to get them to go! My mom doesn't know how to take a vacation. I think she needs some more practice...) Anyway, please pray that Loren will be responsible with himself and his friends while our parents are out of town, and that my sister and I will be able to connect more...actually that we would all be able to connect more and that this won't be an opportunity for satan to thrown in some discord via irresponsibility.
Thank you all for your support!
Thursday, June 09, 2005
Good vs. Bad...again
Well, I got good news and bad news again. Good news first, this time: My mom got some more detailed medical updates and apparently her treatments for her liver and colon are incredibly affective. PRAISE THE LORD!! Her mercury levels are also down, but she still has to work on the petroleum levels. My dad is also going to get some updated tests as well so I'll post those when they come in.
Bad news (kindof not...) : the reason my mom has been rather off the handle recently is because she has a brain virus. She hasn't been able to think straight or stay focused and she's had some dizzy spells. Apparently it is highly treatable so she should be feeling better within a couple of days and treatments will last for about a month after that.
Thank God for the Psalms! I find it awfully encouraging that David felt differently on different days. That makes me feel a little bit normal. Today is a good day!
(Hey, a short..er blog!)
Bad news (kindof not...) : the reason my mom has been rather off the handle recently is because she has a brain virus. She hasn't been able to think straight or stay focused and she's had some dizzy spells. Apparently it is highly treatable so she should be feeling better within a couple of days and treatments will last for about a month after that.
Thank God for the Psalms! I find it awfully encouraging that David felt differently on different days. That makes me feel a little bit normal. Today is a good day!
(Hey, a short..er blog!)
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
Good vs. Bad
I have some good news, and I have some bad news. Bad news first: I talked with my mom and it didn't exactly go over well. She, of course, is blaming a combination of her circumstances and us not working hard enough. Yes, I could be working longer hours outside, but that is on the condition that she wants me to work hard two days and then be an invalid for a week waiting for my hands to heal from all the blisters!! I haven't done yardwork in like 9 months! What more does she expect from me?
Jeez! Why does everything have to revolve around me? I know that she knows I am doing my best. I just get the flak because she trusts in me so much. Sometimes I wish that I wasn't her confidant just so she couldn't dump on me like this. Argh! I wish I grew some thicker skin or a more waterproof coat so things like this didn't affect me so much. I know I'm going to have to deal with things like this on a daily basis when I get married. "You just have to give all the little things up to God to deal with because you can't deal with every little thing". I wish that was so easy to do. Oh, well. I'm also told "practice makes perfect". I guess God thinks I need more practice. Well, here goes!
Finally, for the good news: I was contacted by a longtime friend and working partner asking me to be the full time interpreter for the Seattle Union Gospel Mission Senior's Camp this summer!! Yay. I worked with the camp for three summers as a part-time interpreter and I couldn't go last year because the camp was after school started. Summer ministry opportunity #1. It's only three days so it's rather short in comparison to the week long trips to Mexico but I'm still grateful for the opportunity. The great thing is that this year I will interpret everything, the lessons, the devotionals, the conversations, the games....before now I only interpreted the conversations (interpersonally).
Well, I hope this helps remind me to replace the Spanish-English dictionary I lost in Mexico last year. I had forgotten for a long time that it was stolen so for the entire school year I was looking for my lost dictionary! I just remembered yesterday what actually happened to it! Flaky me!
(one of these days I'm also going to learn how to post a short blog)
Jeez! Why does everything have to revolve around me? I know that she knows I am doing my best. I just get the flak because she trusts in me so much. Sometimes I wish that I wasn't her confidant just so she couldn't dump on me like this. Argh! I wish I grew some thicker skin or a more waterproof coat so things like this didn't affect me so much. I know I'm going to have to deal with things like this on a daily basis when I get married. "You just have to give all the little things up to God to deal with because you can't deal with every little thing". I wish that was so easy to do. Oh, well. I'm also told "practice makes perfect". I guess God thinks I need more practice. Well, here goes!
Finally, for the good news: I was contacted by a longtime friend and working partner asking me to be the full time interpreter for the Seattle Union Gospel Mission Senior's Camp this summer!! Yay. I worked with the camp for three summers as a part-time interpreter and I couldn't go last year because the camp was after school started. Summer ministry opportunity #1. It's only three days so it's rather short in comparison to the week long trips to Mexico but I'm still grateful for the opportunity. The great thing is that this year I will interpret everything, the lessons, the devotionals, the conversations, the games....before now I only interpreted the conversations (interpersonally).
Well, I hope this helps remind me to replace the Spanish-English dictionary I lost in Mexico last year. I had forgotten for a long time that it was stolen so for the entire school year I was looking for my lost dictionary! I just remembered yesterday what actually happened to it! Flaky me!
(one of these days I'm also going to learn how to post a short blog)
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
R-E-L-A-X PLEASE!!!
I really don't like living at home anymore. I began to figure that out over the school year so I stopped coming home on the weekends during second semester. Home life is so stressed. My parents are trying another business venture (which will probably work out because it's based in real-estate this time and not the internet) but my mom is getting to her "about to crack" stage where you can never know how she's going to react to something that happens or anything you say. Just this morning she discovered that we missed the Lippizanners(sp?) performance in Everett on the 4th because mom thought it was in July and not June. We spent over 100$ on the tickets and have been looking for an opportunity to go since I first read about them something like ten years ago. She was so crushed.
I completely understand why she was crushed and it was completely appropriate but it was just another thing that happened on top of everything else and she stormed off to her room and had a good cry. I had a good chat with my sister Kimberlie over MSN and in the meantime figured out a good deal of what was going on. After I realized what mom was doing to cope Kim suggested that I talk with mom and tell her how she can better her methods of coping with stress and how her current methods are affecting me.
I like doing odd jobs at the house, I have even forgotten to log my hours (because now they're paying me for what used to be counted as "chores"). I don't mind that mom has piled all the housework and yardwork on me for the summer. That's fine!! But she won't take that pile of responsibility off herself. She has no peace, no calm, no reassurance that things are going to get done because now I'm home. I am the hard-worker of the bunch and I have taken care of the entire house and yard by myself before. I know how to do it but mom is not taking it off of herself. She's just multiplying the workload instead of delegating and dividing it out. It's all in her mind and it's affecting the rest of us, especially me. I know that she is happy when I get something done but then she just reminds me of five other things that need to get done and I have to keep reminding her "I will get to that. Relax!"
I think that once she realizes how she's just multiplying the tasks in her head then she will do a lot better. Well, off to pray and formulate my appeal, do something productive to get her in a better mood, and have a sit-down chat....
I completely understand why she was crushed and it was completely appropriate but it was just another thing that happened on top of everything else and she stormed off to her room and had a good cry. I had a good chat with my sister Kimberlie over MSN and in the meantime figured out a good deal of what was going on. After I realized what mom was doing to cope Kim suggested that I talk with mom and tell her how she can better her methods of coping with stress and how her current methods are affecting me.
I like doing odd jobs at the house, I have even forgotten to log my hours (because now they're paying me for what used to be counted as "chores"). I don't mind that mom has piled all the housework and yardwork on me for the summer. That's fine!! But she won't take that pile of responsibility off herself. She has no peace, no calm, no reassurance that things are going to get done because now I'm home. I am the hard-worker of the bunch and I have taken care of the entire house and yard by myself before. I know how to do it but mom is not taking it off of herself. She's just multiplying the workload instead of delegating and dividing it out. It's all in her mind and it's affecting the rest of us, especially me. I know that she is happy when I get something done but then she just reminds me of five other things that need to get done and I have to keep reminding her "I will get to that. Relax!"
I think that once she realizes how she's just multiplying the tasks in her head then she will do a lot better. Well, off to pray and formulate my appeal, do something productive to get her in a better mood, and have a sit-down chat....
Saturday, June 04, 2005
The WEEKEND
So, I guess I have some time now to post about last weekend at George’s house. WHAT FUN!!! The first day we got there (Katie and anyone else who is squeamish about hunting should skip this paragraph…) we went hunting…for cute, fluffy bunny rabbits…(that’s a Katie quote). The first property we went to I saw a couple of rabbits but George was the only person to peg one. He then tried to clean it and exclaimed "funny how the pastor is cleaning the nasty rabbit while the nursing students watch!" so I ended up taking over and cleaning the rabbit. We then went to a second property where George hit one rabbit in the side and then we lost it in the bushes. I then hunted through the entire valley floor and shot about ten shots and missed every time. Later after waiting for the rabbits to come out again I made a perfect shot and hit a rabbit in the back of the head. Oh, how wonderful to make my first kill!! We then skinned them (he is going to tan my rabbit’s pelt because he ruined the other one) and roasted them over the fire. Rabbit is rather tasty, more flavor than chicken, but pretty similar as long as you don’t smoke it too long.
Enough on my hunting experiences….
We also went to a drive-in movie theatre and all crammed in the back of Bryan’s truck (I think everyone fell asleep at some point during the second movie), we went to the mud flats and threw mud at each other, dug clams and forgot about them until they died, went to the open house and toured the X-Craft "Seafighter" (the fastest commercial/military ship ever) because George’s dad built the thing at his shipyard, watched movies, played games, and explored Camp Casey.
Overall the weekend was AWESOME!! I love my friends and the wonderful fellowship we have together. Ps. 133:1 – How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!
I can’t wait for the 4th of July weekend when we’re all going to be together again, this time at Cara’s cabin in Cle Elum.
Enough on my hunting experiences….
We also went to a drive-in movie theatre and all crammed in the back of Bryan’s truck (I think everyone fell asleep at some point during the second movie), we went to the mud flats and threw mud at each other, dug clams and forgot about them until they died, went to the open house and toured the X-Craft "Seafighter" (the fastest commercial/military ship ever) because George’s dad built the thing at his shipyard, watched movies, played games, and explored Camp Casey.
Overall the weekend was AWESOME!! I love my friends and the wonderful fellowship we have together. Ps. 133:1 – How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!
I can’t wait for the 4th of July weekend when we’re all going to be together again, this time at Cara’s cabin in Cle Elum.
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
Updates
Well, I started working at my parent's house that they bought to fix up and resell for profit. I painted a room so far and I'm probably going to be doing a lot more painting in the future. I'm just so excited that I have a steady job for the summer.
I also found out that I can't work at the VBS at my home church because my parents need me to work and I can't do the VBS at Waldport, Or. because they already have too many volunteers for that trip. I guess the Lord has something else in mind for me this summer. It is really disapointing that I can't go on the outreach because now I know some of the kids in town after doing the same trip for two years in a row but I also know that the Lord sovereignly has my summer in his hands and as long as I trust in Him then he might open up opportunities that I hadn't even imagined like last summer.
This weekend I spent five days at George's house on Whidbey Island with my best friends from school. The weekend was AWESOME!! Unfortunately, I have to write about the weekend a little later because I have to go to bed now so I can work tomorrow at the other house.
Oh, before I forget, thank you everyone for your prayers and support, my mom had some updated tests returned today and she is showing signs of improvement. Praise the Lord!! Unfortunately, my dad has not even completed enough of his therapies to get an updated report yet, but he is improving in keeping up with his vitamins and therapies. Please pray for them if ever you think of me.
I love you all!!
I also found out that I can't work at the VBS at my home church because my parents need me to work and I can't do the VBS at Waldport, Or. because they already have too many volunteers for that trip. I guess the Lord has something else in mind for me this summer. It is really disapointing that I can't go on the outreach because now I know some of the kids in town after doing the same trip for two years in a row but I also know that the Lord sovereignly has my summer in his hands and as long as I trust in Him then he might open up opportunities that I hadn't even imagined like last summer.
This weekend I spent five days at George's house on Whidbey Island with my best friends from school. The weekend was AWESOME!! Unfortunately, I have to write about the weekend a little later because I have to go to bed now so I can work tomorrow at the other house.
Oh, before I forget, thank you everyone for your prayers and support, my mom had some updated tests returned today and she is showing signs of improvement. Praise the Lord!! Unfortunately, my dad has not even completed enough of his therapies to get an updated report yet, but he is improving in keeping up with his vitamins and therapies. Please pray for them if ever you think of me.
I love you all!!
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Life is sooo good!!
Life is sooooo good. I was called on Friday afternoon by some friends, left for a road-trip on Saturday morning, and didn't get back until Tuesday evening (last night). Originally we were looking at being home by Monday at the latest. I love spontenaity. I love that I can be completely comfortable around a group of kids my age goofing off, being weird, and also have deep spiritual and relational conversations with them.
Rewind!!....George and Y'shayah (or Yosh) were rather bored on Friday so they had the excellent idea of going on a road trip with a bunch of us from school in George's VW Vanagan. They called up a bunch of people and it ended up that they picked up Laura and I from from Northwest U at about 2:00 and drove down to Rachel's house in Newberg, Oregon, picked her up, and then continued on to Katie's house in Depoe Bay, Oregon (central Oregon coast). We ended up arriving there and having dinner around 10:30 pm. We stayed there for two nights and went to Katie's church, the coast, (during the day and at night) Katie's candy shop, and just hung out. We then said goodbye to Katie on Monday and hiked Multnomah falls. We got back to Rachel's house at about 12:00 and talked for several more hours and slept in the Vanagan. There was just enough room on the bottom bunk with the three of us girls sleeping there that if one girl was sleeping on her back, the other two girls had to be on their sides for us to fit on the bed. Lol. That morning we hung out at Rachel's house until about 2:00 when we finally left for home. On the way we ended up stopping at a creation research museum at the foot of Mt. St. Helens and picking up Cara at Bonney Lake before going to my house for dinner. We chatted until 1:00 when the boys left for home and Cara slept at my house. We talked until 3:00 when I couldn't stay conscious any more.
I'm going to see everybody again plus several people tomorrow and over the weekend when we're all gathered at George's house on Whidbey Is. but I'm already missing my friends from the trip. They're so awesome. Before I came to college I didn't have any friends that were flexible enough to do stuff like this and now we call each other and chat all the time, leave stupid messages on each other's answering machines, and always look for some opportunity to get together. I'm finally starting to understand why some people love the single life. Don't get me wrong, I'm definately looking forward to getting married, I'm just much more happy with waiting until school is over or even a little later before having any kind of a serious relationship. I love this not being tied down to one person, place, or job.
Ahhh, speaking of jobs, I was really praying about whether I am supposed to get a job this summer because of the flexibility issue for possible ministries and my parents ended up buying a house so we could remodel it and resell it for profit so I'm going to be working there for the next several weeks. That happened late enough that I could go on the road-trip and early enough that I have a job when I come back from vacation this weekend. I'm supposed to have work for at least 3 or 4 weeks straight and my parents are going to pay me something like 10 dollars an hour!
Hmmm.....luck...chance...happenstance?......I think not! I am so blessed!! PRAISE THE LORD FOR HE IS GOOD!!!!!!!!!!
Rewind!!....George and Y'shayah (or Yosh) were rather bored on Friday so they had the excellent idea of going on a road trip with a bunch of us from school in George's VW Vanagan. They called up a bunch of people and it ended up that they picked up Laura and I from from Northwest U at about 2:00 and drove down to Rachel's house in Newberg, Oregon, picked her up, and then continued on to Katie's house in Depoe Bay, Oregon (central Oregon coast). We ended up arriving there and having dinner around 10:30 pm. We stayed there for two nights and went to Katie's church, the coast, (during the day and at night) Katie's candy shop, and just hung out. We then said goodbye to Katie on Monday and hiked Multnomah falls. We got back to Rachel's house at about 12:00 and talked for several more hours and slept in the Vanagan. There was just enough room on the bottom bunk with the three of us girls sleeping there that if one girl was sleeping on her back, the other two girls had to be on their sides for us to fit on the bed. Lol. That morning we hung out at Rachel's house until about 2:00 when we finally left for home. On the way we ended up stopping at a creation research museum at the foot of Mt. St. Helens and picking up Cara at Bonney Lake before going to my house for dinner. We chatted until 1:00 when the boys left for home and Cara slept at my house. We talked until 3:00 when I couldn't stay conscious any more.
I'm going to see everybody again plus several people tomorrow and over the weekend when we're all gathered at George's house on Whidbey Is. but I'm already missing my friends from the trip. They're so awesome. Before I came to college I didn't have any friends that were flexible enough to do stuff like this and now we call each other and chat all the time, leave stupid messages on each other's answering machines, and always look for some opportunity to get together. I'm finally starting to understand why some people love the single life. Don't get me wrong, I'm definately looking forward to getting married, I'm just much more happy with waiting until school is over or even a little later before having any kind of a serious relationship. I love this not being tied down to one person, place, or job.
Ahhh, speaking of jobs, I was really praying about whether I am supposed to get a job this summer because of the flexibility issue for possible ministries and my parents ended up buying a house so we could remodel it and resell it for profit so I'm going to be working there for the next several weeks. That happened late enough that I could go on the road-trip and early enough that I have a job when I come back from vacation this weekend. I'm supposed to have work for at least 3 or 4 weeks straight and my parents are going to pay me something like 10 dollars an hour!
Hmmm.....luck...chance...happenstance?......I think not! I am so blessed!! PRAISE THE LORD FOR HE IS GOOD!!!!!!!!!!
Sunday, May 15, 2005
Faith and Trust
I'm at home being lazy. I've been slowly cleaning and organizing my room after a year of misuse and neglect from my family while I was away, playing video games, cleaning the house, and chatting with my friends from school online...much more of this and I'm going to be pulling my hair out.
I like being busy. I know what my calling is and I know what I have to do to get there and I can't wait to get there. I work hard at my studies to be the best nurse I can be and I enjoy every moment I have to do ministry and better prepare myself for the field...well...I don't know if that's going to be the case this summer.
This summer is totally up to the Lord. I have no plans for work or ministry. I have a couple of things I have to get done before nursing school this fall like immunizations, certfication and an online class but that's not going to keep me busy. I have one good opening for a job and I don't know if I want it because if I have that job then I'll be tied down in the area so I can't do ministry or anything this summer. I guess getting the job or not will be my answer from God. I didn't have any plans at the beginning of last summer either and things worked out so perfectly schedule-wise that it can only be called a work of God. It's just hard when you're in the middle of the unknown time when your faith and trust is totally in God's provision and guidance.
Oh well. The only overarching message I have had from God for the last couple of years is that as long as I keep moving forward with the opportunities available to me, then God will continue to lead my path in the way that he wants me to go. I just need to learn to trust him in everything and what is trust if you can see what's going to happen??
I like being busy. I know what my calling is and I know what I have to do to get there and I can't wait to get there. I work hard at my studies to be the best nurse I can be and I enjoy every moment I have to do ministry and better prepare myself for the field...well...I don't know if that's going to be the case this summer.
This summer is totally up to the Lord. I have no plans for work or ministry. I have a couple of things I have to get done before nursing school this fall like immunizations, certfication and an online class but that's not going to keep me busy. I have one good opening for a job and I don't know if I want it because if I have that job then I'll be tied down in the area so I can't do ministry or anything this summer. I guess getting the job or not will be my answer from God. I didn't have any plans at the beginning of last summer either and things worked out so perfectly schedule-wise that it can only be called a work of God. It's just hard when you're in the middle of the unknown time when your faith and trust is totally in God's provision and guidance.
Oh well. The only overarching message I have had from God for the last couple of years is that as long as I keep moving forward with the opportunities available to me, then God will continue to lead my path in the way that he wants me to go. I just need to learn to trust him in everything and what is trust if you can see what's going to happen??
Saturday, May 14, 2005
Welcome to the world of weird!
I'm finding new places every day that several of my friends blog. So this is not my only blogging site. I have decided to simply post the same thing up in three different places to keep in touch with as many of my friends from school over the summer as I can. Hurrah for the internet!!
Anyway, when I decide to post up anything new you'll be sure to hear about it.
Later
Anyway, when I decide to post up anything new you'll be sure to hear about it.
Later
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