I Can Do It Myself !!

It has been awhile since I've had a chance to blog. Being back to work full time has been a bit of an adjustment. The Lord gives just the right amount of energy needed but not much left to spare. We enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving day. I worked until 4:00 and then joined my family for dinner. Driving home from work, I reflected over the many thanksgivings in my life. I remembered being asked the question once, "What's the one thing you are most thankful for this year?" And, I thought about how much has happened in my life since Thanksgiving last year. I know I was thankful last year, but I am much more thankful this year. Am I thankful for cancer? No. Am I thankful for what God has accomplished through my cancer? YES!!! And that is the one thing I am most thankful for this year.

This Thanksgiving weekend, my little grandson Wyatt was here visiting. He is 2 1/2 and at the age called "I can do it all by myself!" Whether it be putting his shoes on, or taking them off (which is more often the case), combing his hair, or brushing his teeth he is convinced that he needs no help from anyone.

He found some stackable blocks in the toy box and began to piece them together. The first few he didn't have much of a problem with.

As he continued with the next ones, I could see him start to get frustrated. I asked him if he needed any help and he adamantly replied, "Nope, I can do it all by myself."

So I backed away and watched his little hands continue to struggle to try and fit the pieces together. It was so hard for me to sit there and watch him get more and more upset.

Finally, when he was to the point of tears, he came over and asked for help. I gladly took him into my arms, for nothing would have stopped me from helping him. And with just a little bit of help on my part, he was able to fit the pieces together. Immediately his little face turned from tears to smiles.

As I watched him run off to play, I thought how oftentimes we are just like little Wyatt. We worry over our children, we struggle over loss of jobs and financial struggles, we battle loneliness and despair to the point of tears, we worry over the "what ifs" of cancer, we work to the point of exhaustion, all because we think we can do it by ourselves. But, our loving Father, never intended for us to be worried, fearful or despairing. "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10).

It must be hard for God to sit by and watch us, like little Wyatt, wait until we are to the point of tears and ready to give up, before we ask Him to help. But when we do ask, He hears our cry and nothing will keep Him from helping us. "In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears. He
parted the heavens and came down." (Psalms 18:6,9).

God has reminded me through my little grandson, that he doesn't want me to struggle on my own. He doesn't want me to "do it all by myself." He longs to replace my tears with smiles. My frustration with joy and my discontent with peace. If I would only ask Him for help. How thankful I am, for the way He chooses to remind me of His love!!

The Dash

On Friday, I attended the funeral of a man I loved. I called him Mr. Harry. He was 12 days shy of being 93 years old. I have known Mr. Harry for 31 years and to me he has always looked the same. He was one of the most caring people I have ever known. He had been married for 63 years. He was an incredibly hard working man who was always willing to help anyone with anything.

At his service, the pastor invited people to share stories about him. One story for me that stood out was when he helped us move into our home 10 years ago. At that time he was 83 years old. He was just going to let us borrow his truck, but he wasn't the kind of man who could just sit by and watch others work, so he started to move furniture. At 83!! I remember him picking up one end of a very heavy sofa and on the other end were my 2 teenage boys. After a minute or two, Mr. Harry said, "Boys, your end is dragging. How about picking it up so it is even with my end!"

At 93, Mr. Harry's life held many stories. On the program for his service, was written a poem and I wanted to share it here.

The Dash

I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on the headstone from beginning to end.
He noted that first came the date of his birth and spoke of the second with tears.
But he said what mattered most was the dash between the years.

The dash represents the time spent on earth,
and now only those who loved him know what that line is worth.
It matters not how much we own, the house, the cars, the cash,
What matters is how we live and love while we are living out our dash.

If we could slow down enough to consider what is true and what is real,
and always try to understand the way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger, and show appreciation more,
and love the people in our lives, like we have never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile,
remember that this special dash may only last a while.
So when your eulogy is being read with your life's actions to rehash,
will you be pleased with what there is to say about the way you lived
your dash?

Only God knows the size of the dash in our lives. For some of the tiny sick babies I care for, their dash is very short, yet they still impact the lives of all those around them. Others like Mr. Harry have a very long dash of their years. But no matter the size of the dash, we will make an impact on those around us. What kind of an impact will we make? And on that day when we stand before the Lord at the end of our life, will He be pleased with how we lived out our dash?

Career Day

Today, I had the nicest opportunity to go and speak to a class of 5th graders for "Career Day" I guess it's pretty evident throughout my blogs that I am very passionate about my career. In fact, I don't view it as a "career" at all, but a "calling". Though I had no idea what to expect from 5th graders, I really wanted to share with them my passion for nursing. I wanted them to be able to relate to it, to help them see that they could make a difference in people's lives if they felt led to a nursing career. That their life was filled with possibilities.

I thought that perhaps the boys would think that nursing was only a career for girls, so I started out asking them how many thought it was just for women. Most of them raised their hands. But I explained to them that not all patients were babies. Some were big adults who were too sick to be able to get around or maybe asleep from surgery. That men, too, were needed as nurses and they could be just as caring and compassionate.

I asked the children to name as many different types of nurses that they could think of. They came up with surgical nurses, pediatric nurses, school nurses, doctor's office nurses and military nurses. I wanted them to see the many possibilities open to them if that was the career path they chose.

As I continued to talk to them, I began to see the spark in their eyes. They sat forward in their desks to listen. They started raising their hands and asking questions. They shared stories of family members who had premature babies. One boy shared a story of how he was hit by a car and spent 9 days in a coma. They talked about medical shows they had seen on Discovery channel. As I looked at each of them, I saw so much potential. I hoped that they were starting to see the possibilities in their own lives.

As we left the school, a young boy named Khenley, walked us out. He talked the whole way out about a medical show he had seen on Discovery channel. As we said good-bye, I looked down at him and said "Khenley, if you want to, you can be a doctor or a nurse. You can be anything you want to be. You are definitely capable." He looked up at me and smiled and my heart was filled with joy.

Driving home, I began to pray for each of those students. That God, would guide them as he carries out the plan He has already started in their lives. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jer. 29:11) "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6)

Sitting outside this afternoon, I was still thinking about the desire to share my passion with those children. Isn't that how God feels about us? We are His children and He is passionate about what we do with our lives. He believes in us. He speaks to us through His word. In it, He shares stories of real people that we can relate to. He shows us that no matter how young or old, how good or bad, how rich or poor, how weak or how strong, we can have a life with him. Page after page, it is filled with possibilities for our life. He looks down at us and says, "If you want to, you can life abundantly, in me."

And when we look up at Him and smile, His heart is filled with joy.