Pray For Me

I’m studying for nursing school finals!  It’s almost over!  PRAISE GOD!

Reflecting ...

Nursing school is hard! Getting accepted into nursing school is hard! But here I am just 2 and a half weeks from being finished. WOW!

I can't take all the credit though, actually none of the credit. ... 3 years ago I felt led to go to nursing school, and had absolutely no faith in my abilities to be able to do it. I prayed about it, and God told me "Ask, Seek, and Knock.", and He told me to take a leap of faith, that He would be with me the whole way if I trusted in Him. I did, I trusted Him completely, and He was there the whole way, and many times He carried me :)

I owe it all to Him ... It just goes to show that God will not ever lead you to do something that He won't help you get through or do. I praise Him! I thank Him! And I know that I am doing His will by being a nurse ... Now if I only knew what department He wanted me in ...

Prayer Request

My family is in need of prayer. I won't go into any details as some things need not be made public (even prayer requests), but just ask that you keep my entire family in your prayers, God knows what is happening. Thank you.

My Spiritual Gifts

I took a quiz that my son brought home from his youth group. It is supposed to help you figure out your spiritual gifts. I already had an idea of mine since I watched a series that Charles Stanley did on the subject, but decided to take it and see what it said.

I scored a 15 in Mercy:

A person who is gifted in the area of mercy has immediate compassion for those suffering physically, mentally, or emotionally. He/She derives great joy in meeting the needs of others, and often has a tendency to attract people who are in distress.(VERY TRUE) He/She usually has a need for friendships in which there are deep communication and mutual commitment, and has the ability to draw out the feelings of others while also being vulnerable to hurts, both personally and to those which others are experiencing. Often, he/she would rather remove the causes of hurts than look for benefits from them. He/She has a tendency to avoid confrontation and firmness, and often closes his/her spirit to others whom he/she feels are overly harsh or critical.(SO ME) If you scored high in this area, you should consider being involved in a ministry that enables you to minister to those who are hurting and who need the sensitivity you have to offer. (I think Nursing falls into that ministry, but I also plan on visiting people in the hospital once I start working and have the time.)

I scored a 14 in Exhortation:

A person who is gifted in the area of exhortation has a special ability to encourage others in the Body of Christ by giving them needed words of comfort, courage, and counsel in times of need or crisis. (I've often thought I should be a counselor as well as a nurse) He/She is especially attracted to individuals who are genuinely seeking spiritual growth and often is willing to share past personal failures to help motivate others toward greater spiritual maturity. He/She is able to make accurate assessments of spiritual needs, and has the ability to explain truth with logical reasoning, giving step-by-step instructions which are easy to follow. If you scored high in this area, you should consider being involved in an area that enables you to use your strengths to minister one-on-one with people in need.

I scored a 12 in Prophecy:

A person who is gifted in the area of prophecy has the ability to proclaim God's truth without compromise. He/She has strong convictions and expects others to as well. He/She has the need to express himself/herself verbally, especially regarding right and wrong and may be quick to make judgments of others and to speak his/her opinion.(That's so me) He/she may be painfully direct when correcting others, possessing an unusual ability to discern the sincerity of others (Oh yeah, and Stanley really has that gift). He/She is persuasive in defining right and wrong, and is very persistent in expressing his/her feelings regarding needs for change. (AMEN) If you scored high in this area, you should look for a ministry wherein you can challenge others to live by God's standards as set forth in His Word.

I scored a 12 in Service:

A person gifted in the area of service has the ability to perform any task with joy that benefits others and meets practical needs. (I LOVE HELPING OTHERS) He/She may have the tendency to disregard personal health and comfort to serve others. he/She often has an attention for details, and appreciates having clear instructions to follow. (OH YEAH, AND FEELING NEEDED IS VERY IMPORTANT TOO.) He/She enjoys the process of serving. (YES) If you scored high in this area, you should consider being involved in a ministry in which your strengths of faithfulness and attention can be utilized. (I TRY TO SERVE OTHERS EVERY CHANCE I GET, BUT I FIND IT HARD WHEN I DON'T DO ANYTHING, AND WHEN I DON'T FEEL NEEDED OR APPRECIATED).

Things I'd Like To Do Before I Die (That Will Help Me Grow Spiritually)

Teach a Sunday School class. (young kids or young adults)
Share my testimony in front of a large group.
Walk a close friend to Christ... or several :)
Help married couples who are having problems.
Witness to a complete stranger.
Sing a solo without puking that fits my vocal range:)
Help someone in need.
Save a life.
Go on a mission trip in another country.
Sing a song with Brianna (my daughter).
Renew my wedding vowels at Rosebower.
Have the courage to do what God puts on my heart without letting others put doubt in my mind.
Show people the true me ... I limit myself and hide myself out of fear.
Work with Hospice and the Red Cross.

It's Been A While ...

My computer decided some time ago that it did not like my blog anymore because it would show an error and not let me see the front page. I think it must have gotten over it now :)

My life has been very busy of late, school is fixing to start back, and my relaxing summer will be over! But the good news is that I will be done this Decemeber!!! I am so excited!

I have a big to-do list today, so I must get ready to go. Have a great, glorious, and blessed day!

I Have Learned ...

The biggest hypocrites are not the sinners who go to church, but the sinners who go to church saying they didn't sin.

Never tell your problems to anyone but to God or your therapist.

Some people forgive, but some don't.

We tend to always look at others sins as worse than our own, even though they are NOT.

People will judge you and choose not to like you, maybe even with no fault of your own, but it's OK. You will survive!

NEVER let others opinions of you become your reality.

You can never be too bad for Jesus, only too good!

It is possible for you to be too big for God to use, but never to small for God to use. We tend to disagree with that and think only Christians who have been in church all of their lives can do anything. We grow best by reading the Word and by working for God.

When you're accusing others of all they didn't do, their glaring lack reflects right back, and the spotlight points at you!

The Lord love the honest sinner better than the hypocritical self-righteous person.

The smallest package in all the World is a man wrapped up in himself.

Feeling Blessed & Exhausted

We just finished VBS on Thursday. I love VBS, but for some reason it wore me out this year. Possibly because we had 15-27 kids every night just in our class (5th & 6th). It was a lot of fun, especially seeing the kids getting excited about being able to put a pie in someones face for not knowing the Bible verse.

I know God was working on several of the kids that were in our class, one that we brought, but they haven't made a decision for Christ yet ... but the seeds were planted, the gospel was shared, and I had the opportunity to witness to the girl we brought, and I have faith that she will make a decision, she just isn't ready yet.

A lot of people get anxious or nervous about sharing their faith and witnessing to others. I do when it comes to complete strangers, but if I know someone, it doesn't bother me at all. I have witnessed to several people who are in my life that are lost, and I pray continually that they will be saved before it is too late.

But back to VBS ... I think all of the VBS workers did a great job this year, and the kids were amazing! When you have that many kids in one class, you expect them to act up, but they were really good considering. I feel very blessed to have been a part of it! I just hope next year that I am able to do something a little more challenging. ;-) But I thank God for the ability to help whereever needed, and for all the kids that came and heard about HIM.

My Progress

It has been a little over a month since I started going to the gym (April 22, 2009), and I still have had no major weight loss yet. The scale varies, sometimes it says I’ve lost 4lbs. and sometimes it says I’ve lost 2 lbs. BUT, I measured myself on May 6thth, and then today (May 26, 2009) and I have lost inches!!!

I’ve lost:

1 inch on upper arms
1 1/2 inches on chest
1 inch on waist
½ inch on thighs
½ inch on calves.

So I’ve lost 4 ½ inches total … GO ME!!!

I try to workout everyday, but I started when I was in school and was studying for finals, so I missed a week for that, and then I have missed several days from time to time for reasons beyond my control (gym was closing early, company coming over, not feeling well, etc.) So I would guess that I have really only went about a half of a month, so I think I am doing very well considering.

It was helpful that I listened to a CD my sister burned for me over the 7 deadly sins, and sloth and gluttony really convicted me. Our society is really pushing people to be gluttons with biggie size food and buffets. We should only be eating normal serving sizes, and not until we feel full. It is ok to leave food on our plates, really it is!

Overeating is a major cause of illness in this country … Diabetes is linked with it (type 2 that is), heart disease is linked to it, and vascular disease is linked to it, and high cholesterol and high blood pressure too, as well as other diseases, so maybe we should STOP overeating!!!

Have a great and glorious day!

[Insert Witty Title Here]

It has been a week since Austen started using his insulin pump, and things are going very well. I am thrilled at how well it is working and how Austen has taken the initiative in taking care of himself. I know how to work his pump, but he has been doing it all himself.

This is my first week of no school and I guess I am enjoying it ... it would be better if I weren't a tad under the weather with allergies, but it is better than driving to Paducah everyday. Although, I have had to drive to Mayfield for Austen's doctor appointment, and will have to again tomorrow to see the dietitian so she can adjust his insulin rates if necessary.

I have started Professor Grant Horner's Bible-Reading System, where you read 10 chapters of the Bible everyday. It is set up so that you are reading Proverbs and Acts completely through in a month, and you are also reading both the Old and New Testaments, which I like. I read my first 10 chapters last night, and plan on doing today's 10 here in a little bit.

God is good all the time, and I am always amazed and in complete awe of how he works!

ALSO, if you would be so kind to check out my sister's blog, she needs some help with getting to the Living Water's Ambassador's Academy that she was accepted into, so if you would like to donate to help her, please visit her blog. You can pay by PayPal or by credit card.

By donating you are entering in a chance to win a great book!

Insulin Pump - Day 1

Well Austen's first day on the pump was uneventful. He seems to be learning the ropes really well. (Good thing because mom doesn't know how to use it, but I am learning on my own, just in-case) His numbers weren't bad yesterdy, except for one, and that was because he took it off to do some exercise at the BCC and then misread the glucose reading and thought he was low and didn't cover for the food he ate.

They told us Monday night to only get half of his long acting insulin, and then eat breakfast Tuesday morning and not take a shot. Once we arrived at the hospital, she went through the teaching and then he checked his blood sugar and then he put on the pump and gave himself a bolus of insulin. Here are his numbers for day one: (May 12th)

2 hours after breakfast 222
Before lunch 176
2 hours or so after lunch 152 (he thought it said 52 so he ate while at the BCC)
After he got home from BCC 431 (around 8 PM, took a bolus of insulin with the pump)
Bedtime 220
1 AM 209 (May 13th)
3 AM 213
6 AM 186

Because of his age and hormones, they want him to be between 100-140. Once he becomes an adult, they will change that to 100-120.

His monitor that goes with the pump is so cool. As soon as he checks his blood sugar, it sends it straight to the pump without having to do anything. And the bolus wizard calculator on the pump keeps track of all of the bolus' he gets and keeps him from stacking insulin and going too low. It tells him how much insulin was for correction, and how much was for food, and how much is active. It is really a neat invention! Thank God he finally has it. I think Austen will take better care of himself now, because it is easier with the pump.

God Does Answer Prayer

Today at 9:30 AM we go to JPMC in Mayfield to meet with the Dietitian/Diabetes Care Center Coordinator to have Austen's insulin pump hooked up. It took 5 years of prayer, but God finally answered.

I have plenty of snacks and juice cartons just in case we need them, and I have his Glucagon kit in case of emergency. I need to stop by the store today and get some icing in a tube to keep in my purse. If he is unable to swallow but still conscious, you can put icing in their cheek and it will absorb and keep them from going into a coma.

Austen will love it if he constantly has to eat to keep his blood sugar up, I will be ready to admit myself into a mental hospital ... but that is the difference between a mom and a kid I guess. Kids don't realize how scary this disease is, but as long as you are educated and know what to do, then it helps to be more comfortable. I just don't want him to go so low in the middle of the night that he slips into a coma, that is really all I am worried about.

I know it will be a little scary at first. I will be getting up during the night to make sure he doesn't go too low, and I will be a nervous wreck until he gets leveled out, but it's worth it. God has protected him from eye and kidney damage thus far, so I wonder what God has in store for him.

Please pray that Austen stays in a normal range so that both him and I keep our sanity :) Have a great, glorious, and blessed day! Oh, and don't EVER give up on something you have prayed about, keep praying because God might say yes in His time!

Thank God It's Friday!

I don't know why I am TGIF for, I have to study this weekend for my lab final in medical micro. I think I'm running out of creative names for my posts :)

I've been going to the gym since April 22nd, and one week I had to miss because of studying for nursing exams and finals, but as of today I have lost 4 lbs!!! I know that doesn't sound like a lot, but it is spot on where I should be, as you are not supposed to lose more than 2 lbs. per week.

I have changed the way I eat. Right now I am just trying to keep my calories under 1500. That means no seconds, and no real fatty foods or junk food. But other than that I am eating what I want. I'd really like to be eating healthy, but eating healthy is expensive. Those changes will have to be made slower. I consider it great progress to lower my calories and go to the gym everyday to work-out ... AND drinking a lot more water than usual :)

PLUS, I've been in God's word everyday since Saturday, which helps to get me spiritually in shape. I know I need that more than being physically in shape. Especially right now, when even though I know I have been forgiven by God and the people I hurt, I feel like there are some who have not forgiven me, and only a few people knew what was going on so that has me puzzled. I am trying hard not to take it personally, and will be praying for God to work in those situations as well. Maybe it's me, I don't know. God got a hold of me and showed me where I was wrong, so I know he can fix anything.

Have a great, glorious, and blessed day!

Waiting To Exhale ...

I have my last final exam on Monday, May 11th at 8:00 AM. It is the lab exam for Medical Microbiology, and it consists of being assigned an unknown bacteria and applying different stains and doing different procedures to find out what bacteria it is. EXCITING! [enter sarcasm here]

I have a very busy week this next week, so please keep me in your prayers. My son gets his pump on May 12th, so he will need your prayers as well since it could cause him to become low at first, and is very scary. My birthday is May 14th (I'll be 35) ... I sometimes feel much older than that. Then on May 15th I have a renewal CPR class. After that I have the summer to rest and recuperate. :-)

Starting in August, I will have one semester left of nursing and then I will be studying for state boards. I cannot wait! I've been in school now for two and half years, and I'm ready to be finished and working in the hospital. It's almost over! Thank God!