What I Learned This Spring (March-May)

It's unofficially summertime, meaning it's time for me to once again pretend to maintain a writing schedule on this blog. One of my favorite posts to write (when I don't forget!) is the linkup with Emily Freeman quarterly about what I've learned. Here lately, here's what I've discovered (or rediscovered): 
1. Audiobooks vs. podcasts
When I'm working, I commute about 1.5 hours to and from work, and that could very easily be wasted time. One thing I decided to try toward the end of the semester was audiobooks and podcasts. I've always resisted audiobooks, and I found that the one that I listened to didn't do much for my analysis of them... however, I've been assured by other people that it's all about the book and the reader.
I did, however, learn that I love podcasts. There are so many good ones out there. Somedays I'm in the mood for something light, some days for something about reading, somedays for random topics that I really don't know anything about... but I can guarantee that there is a podcast out there on the topic. They definitely made my drive seem shorter!

2. Enneagram- I've always been interested in what makes people tick. I love personality tests, and I'm amazed by how we can all be so different. I heard about this on a podcast, and immediately took a test. I found that I was a 9... and I'm still not sure exactly what that is... so I bought a couple of books and by the end of the summer I'll know all about it =)

3. You can like an email in outlook- Who knew? One of my students had sent me an email, and I had replied, and then got a notification that the student had responded to my email but couldn't see a reply... but it was a like!! I"m not sure what the purpose really is except to let someone know you read their reply without carrying on an extensive conversation, but it reminded me just how much I don't know about technology.

4. Teenage drivers
Caleb got his license three weeks ago and to say I've been slightly terrified is an understatement. You don't know fear until you send your baby off behind a wheel...
I'm learning, though, that he has a pretty good head on his shoulder and that letting go really is part of parenting.

5.  8 miles is about my limit when it comes to hiking. The past couple of weeks I've done two 10 mile hikes and my feet are still killing me. My body starts giving up at 8 miles...
but when you are two miles from the middle of nowhere (or possibly more... who knows?) you have to keep on going.

6. Hiking apps are your friend. They can make sure you stay on track so you don't hike off trail 10 miles. Since I don't have much of a sense of direction, that's a very good thing.

7. I love summertime.

Linking up with Emily Freeman at https://emilypfreeman.com/blog/ and getting myself geared up to write more this summer... thanks for the inspiration!

Shut Up & Write Day 1- Jibba Jabba

Heart fluttering, short of breath, overwhelmed, anxious
It is Monday
Not sure why I'm like this.
Waiting for the other shoe to drop, just waiting,
Cause it's Monday
but...

Every day is new with new mercies
He is God
everyday, not just Monday, and He is sovereign.
Cast my cares
He cares.

What I Read February/March edition

February: 
The Color of Forever by Julianne MacLean- The Color of Heaven #10
I started this series several years ago. The books can be read independently, but characters from previous books are interwoven throughout so if you read I'd recommend reading in order. They talk about life after death, finding love on earth, and have some components of fantasy involved. Quick reads with likeable characters.  There are other books in this series so I'll be reading for a while.

The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul
I enjoyed this book, but it was hard to read at times. It centered on how God is holy, using Scriptural references, and then encourages us to be holy as God is holy. An overwhelming concept for sure, but very thought-provoking.

Knit the Season by Kate Jacobs- Friday Night Knitting Club #3
Loved this series! This follows a group of women who bonded over knitting, and then over a friend's death as they became family to that friend's young daughter. The last book in the series focuses on Dakota's transition to adulthood and the decisions she has to make. Great read!

Always Forward- Ginny Dye- Bregdan Chronicles #9
I've been reading this series, set in the Civil War and the years following, for several years. It tells the story of Carrie Borden and how she and her family overcame in the years following the Civil War. Carrie is a strong female character and is a polar opposite to my other favorite Civil War heroine (Scarlett O'Hara). There are other books in this series as well so I'll be reading on it for awhile.

Christ-Centered Parenting
This was a Bible study through Lifeway. They offered it as online Bible study several months ago and provided the video sessions free, so I watched those and took a little longer to digest. This book has short articles that focus on societal topics that parents should address. Good for parents with kids of all ages, as each section has a couple of pages focused on communication strategies for different age groups. Really thought-provoking. 

The Scarlet Letter- Nathaniel Hawthorne
I had read this book many years ago in high school but decided to revisit it. The language is hard to understand but it is a beautiful concept of redemption, and also a reminder that there are always two sides to ever story.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader- CS Lewis
This is part of the Chronicles of Narnia series. It was one of the harder ones for me to read for some reason, but the fantastical story of a boy turning into a dragon and then not being recognized as a boy (not the exact story line, but the part that stood out to me most) really made me think of how we perceive other people. I love the beautiful images of Aslan, and the reminder that God is always sovereign (as they say in the first book in this series, He is far from safe, but He is good.)

Summer People- Aaron Stander
This was a free book I downloaded years ago. I have a list of books I've downloaded from Kindle and I work through it (when I'm not jumping ahead and reading a "got to read now" book), and the second book on this series was on my list, so I had to read the first one, of course... a murder mystery. Easy read. Good characters. Not the best book I've read... but definitely not the worst. 

4  under my goal... putting me behind. (I figured if I wanted to read 150 books this year, I'd need to read 12.5 a month).

March:
Dumplin' (Dumplin' #1)- I LOVED this book. I downloaded it and moved it to the front of my to read list because EVERYONE was watching it on Netflix and I can't watch something without reading it... and it was great. A lovely story of Willowdean, whose Mama is a beauty queen that reminds her a lot of times that she's not... a feel good, save the day story. (Which was, as always, better than the movie... but the Netflix movie was good. Although I've always liked Jennifer Aniston and I really didn't like her character...) Definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to learn how to accept themselves for who they are.

A Peculiar Glory by John Piper
This book highlighted the glory of God, using references from Scripture. Really enjoyed it but makes you think!

The Runaway Midwife by Patricia Harman
I love midwives. I mean, I've never been to one, and I obviously am not one, but I have worked with them and then the history of Frontier Nursing in Eastern Kentucky has always fascinated me. This book is about a midwife who has a patient die during childbirth, and she flees her life to travel to a remote island. A little suspense, a little romance... a very good novel. I'll be reading more from this author!

Into the Free by Julie Cantrell
Millie has had a tough life. Her dad and mom have a dysfunctional relationship. She wants to get away. She dreams of joining a gypsy group, but tragedy strikes and she finds herself stuck. It's a beautiful story of a young girl finding herself and finding love. There's a second book, so I'll be reading it.

Darker the Night by Lisa London
I love WW2 fiction. This book is one from the viewpoint of a German citizen. I was pleasantly surprised when I got to the end of the book to learn that it was loosely based on real-life events. This book encouraged empathy. Highly recommend for anyone interested in WW2 fiction.

Devil's Food Cake Murder (Hannah Swensen #14) by Joanne Fluke
I love this series. Hannah Swensen is funny, and also unlucky, as she finds more dead bodies than living people in Lake Eden. The recipes sound yummy (if only I cooked!) and each one of these in the series that I have read are entertaining, with interesting characters. Still have several in this series, and I'm glad!

The Hidden Staircase (Nancy Drew #2)
I loved Nancy Drew when I was a young reader, and last year I decided to start re-reading the series. It's funny, though, that reading them with fresh eyes makes you realize how much different things are now from when they were first written years ago. They do seem simplistic, too... but still one of my favorites!

Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey
My sister bought my a book called 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die, and this book was the first one listed. I loved it. The author was a camp ranger in a park out west, and it was all about the desert and exploring and the outdoors and it spoke to my hiking loving heart.

Dearest Dorothy, If not Now, When? 
This book is a part of a series as well, and I was sad to find that there wasn't another book. Dorothy is an 80+ year old woman who lives in small town America. One of her newest best friends is Josh, whose Mom has moved in and sent an erroneous message that she's trying to take over the town. As most small towns are, residents are resistant to some change, and this book follows them through the process of growth. A great read with delightful characters. 

Jo's Boys by Louisa May Alcott
Again, this was a series that I read when I was young. I love Louisa May Alcott... have read biographies of her. Little Women is one of my favorite books, and this is the last series of the book, concluding when the little women are now adults. Jo has started a college for young men and some women, and this book tells of some of her earlier pupils and how their adult lives have turned out.
 

When God Calls the Heart: Devotions from Hope Valley
This devotional uses shows from When Calls the Heart to provide a short devotional topic. There's a prayer and a question to think about, and I really liked it because I liked the show.

11 books read in March. This means I've read 31 books. Using my plan to read 12.5 books a month, I should have read 37 books, so I'm 6 short.

Means I'll have to read 13 books a month... so here's to reading!

As always, I'd love to here what's on your to read list, even though I never have enough time to read as I'd like!

Just a Student Nurse

On Tuesday of this week my Fundamentals of Nursing class covered legal and ethical concepts of nursing.

There's a lot to think about in those areas, hot topics that cover our newsfeed.

We were talking about student nurses and their role in patient care and I heard myself say something that has resonated with me, "You may be just a student nurse today..."

I went on to remind them that they are the future of our profession, and that they are held to the same ethical standards as anyone involved in patient care.

Those four words have ran through my mind, though... "Just a student nurse..."

You may be just...

but you are so much more.

I see you, single Mama, juggling school work and family time and holding it all together with tattered strings.

I see you, hardworking senior who is striving to learn all you can in your practicum because before you know it, you'll be the sole responsible one.

I see you, college kid who is living on your own for the first time, tasting the independence that means that you don't have to get up for your 8 AM class but knowing that the major you  have chosen means life or death for those you will be caring for, so you turn the snooze button off, throw your hair into a ponytail, and drag yourself onto the bus.

I see you, working those extra shifts as a server or a clerk or a patient tech because your scholarship doesn't quite cover all of your cost of living.

I see you, reading those chapters that seem like they are 500 pages long...

I see you, blurry eyed as you struggle to take one more note, answer one more question, jot down one more flashcard.

I see you as you submit that care plan.. words on a page that in no way fully represent the thinking, and dare I say it, blood, sweat and tears that went into developing it? (Maybe not blood or sweat, but definitely some tears.)

I see you as you enter your patient's room the first day of clinical, scared to speak but so very excited, uniform pressed and stethoscope ready.

I see you holding your patient's hand and taking time to listen because compassion is what draws you in to this profession.

I see you, lips moving silently as you read through the options for that select all that applies question, racking your brain and trying to fight the urge to not listen to your gut because every answer can have a rationale and the right answer isn't always the best answer.

I see you...

so much more than just a student nurse.

Even if I don't always share it, I'm cheering you on.

There will be struggles. There will be failures- maybe of whole courses. There will be days when you question your commitment...

and I'd like to tell you that it gets easier, but really it doesn't, because that doubt, that failure, that sense of being overwhelmed will follow you as you scurry up and down hallways, going door to door making your hourly rounds on your patients.

You'll look back on those days, sometimes, and wish that you could be "just a student nurse"... but then you'll straighten your namebadge, plaster a smile on your face, and answer that call light...

because you were born for this. And someday you may hear the phrase expanded, "I'm just a nurse"... as opposed to something more full of grandeur...

But you're a lifeline to your patient. A smile when there is none. Sunshine in the dark days of gloomy diagnosis. Comfort when the patient is overwhelmed. An anchor in a story sea.

"Nursing is an art,  and if it is to be made an art, it requires an exclusive devotion as hard a preparation as any painter's or sculptor's work; for what is the having to do with dead canvas or dead marble, compared with having to do with the living body, the temple of God's spirit?..." Florence Nightingale

Just a student nurse... learning what will have eternal impact.

How blessed am I to have just a small part of it?

Writing this today based on a prompt from Five Minute Fridays (even though I am not writing on Friday and also even though it took me longer to write than 5 minutes). This week's prompt? JUST....
four words that can be seen as condescending but in no way tell the full story.

Get in the Word

Today I saw a post on Facebook that made me think.

It was a photo that showed the amount of time it would take a person to read through the Bible in certain lengths of time. In order to read through in a year, it estimated reading 12 minutes a day.

It usually takes me a little longer to read the portions of Scripture aligned in my reading plan, but I'll admit I sometimes get distracted and I also pause to take notes sometimes. I'll admit that sometimes it becomes another thing on my "to do" list... and I don't want it to be that for me. I want it to mean something... because I know that His Word is living and active.

As I read, I ask that God open my heart, my eyes, and my ears to what He wants to show me. With some books of the Bible, that's easy. I understand about being foolish when I read the Proverbs. I get David's cries of solitude when I read the Psalms. I soak in as I read about Jesus and His miracles...

but the Old Testament is tough, y'all.

I don't get a lot of it.

But I'm reminded that when we are in His Word, it gets in us... and things happen. Things become clear. And the Scripture you read today will show up somewhere else tomorrow.

It may take you longer than a year to read your Bible through. That's ok. There are lots of different reading plans out there.

The key is to open it, read it, and internalize it... even if it is just one verse at a time.

Thank You, God, for Your Word to me. Thank You for Your Word, Jesus, who became flesh. Thank You for Your revelation. I may not always get it... but I know that You are faithful and You are doing a work even when I don't understand.

Surviving

So one of my goals this month was to write every day.

It's a short month, so surely that won't be too hard, right?

Except that sometimes by the time I get home, I'm mentally exhausted. I can't string two words together some nights.

As I was walking on the treadmill tonight, I found myself thinking I am 99.9% done with this week... but it's only Tuesday.

Fitting that as I thought about what to write about, and couldn't find any inspiration, I turned to the 5 minute writing prompts developed for this challenge.

Today's prompt?

Survive...

Which is what I do most days.

Just barely.

Except I can't help but think that it's supposed to be more than that.

As I thought about being 99.9% done with this week, I thought of having a glass half full mindset...

which so often I don't have. I tend to look on the negative side, even though I'd love to be a Pollyanna (and let's be realistic. I'm not even sure why Pollyanna is known for her positivity. I've never read the book nor watched the movie...)

So I kept putting one foot in front of the other on the treadmill...

and realized that tomorrow is another day (just like Scarlett says. I have read that book, and am reading it again...)

So here's to doing more than just surviving tomorrow...

and I'll go fumble my way through Leviticus in my Bible reading tonight... but I'll survive =)

Grace for Granted

Several years ago I chose the word "grace" to guide my year. I wanted to embrace the grace that God gave me... as if that is something we can ever fully do.

Instead, it was a year of transition for my family, and I found that the real reason God had led me to choose the word was a reminder for me to give grace...

As one of our P31 OBS values says, "We give grace because we so desperately need it."

Today I was reading The Holiness of God by RC Sproul. This quote hit me hard, because I don't tink I had ever really thought about it.

"Grace no longer amazes us. We have grown used to it: we take it for granted."


In a watered down society, we are told that God is love and that His mercy endures forever.

Biblical, yes... but also hard to reconcile with a God of judgment. Sproul talked about the seemingly inconsistencies between the Old Testament God and the New Testament God.

How can a God that hurls fire and brimstone be a loving God?

Surely we should focus on the God of love and forgiveness... so much that we get caught in an endless cycle of doing the same thing over and over. We praise Him with our lips on Sunday morning, yet curse our brothers and sisters by the time we are headed home.

Grace is to be given to us... but we aren't so good at giving it. Surprisingly, we aren't great at accepting it, either... because if we truly accepted God's grace, we would be in awe of His goodness. We wouldn't treat it so casually.

May I never grow used to Your grace, God. May I embrace it so that it changes me. May I embrace it so it changes others. I don't deserve it, but Your mercy gives me so much that I don't deserve. Thank You is not enough...