Mary Jo's

 

What do you get when you spend seven hours in a fabric store??

Enough material for 13 dresses and 5 skirts!

If I'm M.I.A. for the next few weeks, you know why!

In the everday moments of life ...

I am continually amazed at how God uses ordinary circumstances in my life to draw me closer to Him!
My mom had surgery last week and has been out of commission for a bit. And because of this I've been helping out around the house and with the girls a little more than usual. All I can say is that I've learned a whole lot about myself this week! Growing up, many times I heard women say that you never realize what a selfish being you are until you have kids. I never really understood what they meant by this statement. Well, now I do!

A few days ago I got into an argument with one of the girls and lost my temper - I was being prideful and selfish in my expectations. I had forgotten that I was dealing with a little girl and shouldn't expect so much from her. It wasn't until after this argument that I realized the way I react to my sisters and the habits I'm developing now are preparing me for the future and how I will raise my own children someday! It caused me to rethink my motives on so many things! In the back of my mind, I've found myself thinking "I really don't have to put that much effort into how I help train my sisters; one day when I become a mommy, I'll get my act together and do things the right way, but I don't have to deal with that now 'cause they're my mom's kids, not mine! " I never really thought that much about the impact this area of my life has upon my little sisters. I would try to do things right for a few days (more like hours) at least until things quit going my way and I got frustrated with my own inadequacies. In the last few days my perspective on being an older sister has changed and I find myself thinking twice before I react to their silliness or aggravating-ness. I discussed this with my mom and as we were talking the words of Colossians 3 came to mind. I've been memorizing this passage for the last few months with our Sunday School class and it really hit home for me this week. I realized just how much practical application is crammed in this passage ...

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him - a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, Barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all. So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

 My life is still not a perfect reflection of the truths and principles in this passage; far from it! But I do know that my Lord is sanctifying me a little more each day, even if it is through helping to potty-train a three-year old or teaching a phonics lesson to a squirming 2nd grader. He is always faithful to teach me something even when I'm struggling to find time for a quiet Quiet Time!

"Can we get some more wire cutters?"

Last night my sister, Madeline and I went with her two best friends to see the movie, War Horse. 

We got our tickets, bought our popcorn, sat down in the empty room, and thought "Oh yay, we just might get the whole theater to ourselves!" Wrong! 

According to the theater's website, the movie started at seven.

According to our tickets, the movie started at eight! 

 No wonder the cleaning lady looked at us like we were crazy! Since we had an entire hour to wait, we did what all teenage girls do and left our popcorn with the concession stand lady while we went to get milkshakes next store!!

Unfortunately, I have no proof that Ale' was there since some people think taking pictures is too tour-isty! :)

The Start of Something New

I awoke this morning before dawn and really wanted to go back to sleep. Five AM came early and I had to partially drag myself out of bed. But then I remembered what I was supposed to do today: I was to observe at the Surgery center with Marci! I quickly snapped awake and rolled out of bed. Once I'm awake there's something I love about pre-dawn mornings especially when I have a reason to be up early: The stillness, the darkness, the quiet, and the undisturb-ness...
I finished my morning routine and drove to the surgery center ... I love my small town where I can drive around at 6:15 and find very few cars on the roads! I quickly changed into scrubs and a hairnet. And the day was off to a start ... Marci showed me around the OR and walked me through her pre-op routine. Before I knew it the first patient was lying on the table and the real fun began! Nothing about this little guy proved to be easy or "normal." Many tries later, they finally got an IV placed! I was able to see the tiny tubes in his eardrums thanks to a high-tech microscope and a kind doctor who let me peer over his shoulder while he worked! The next patient was a cute little girl who needed her adenoids removed. Thankfully her case proceeded quite smoothly and she was out of the OR in about 14 minutes! And I had a birds eye view for the whole procedure! It was pretty awesome! I observed another ENT surgery before watching a pre-op for a shoulder. A colonoscopy was next up on the agenda and I had the opportunity to observe two of those: one bad case and one "normal" case. Let's just say that a colonoscopy is just plain gross!! It was kinda neat to see, but certainly not something I want to willingly do again! Yuck!! I finished out the morning by watching an orthopaedic elbow surgery, as well as, the shoulder from earlier that morning. Both were pretty cool considering they were sterile and required me to wear a mask in the OR! Yes, I'm a new nursing student who still thinks wearing a mask and hairnet is pretty awesome!!


After today, I have so much to think about in terms of where I want to go with my nursing career!! I'm excited to see where God leads me in the months and years ahead! And I'm pretty sure today was the start of a whole new life in the medical field!!

Speak, O Lord

Speak, O Lord, as we come to You 

To receive the food of Your Holy Word.

Take Your truth, plant it deep in us;

Shape and fashion us in Your likeness,

That the light of Christ might be seen today

In our acts of love and our deeds of faith.

Speak, O Lord, and fulfill in us

All Your purposes for Your glory.

Teach us, Lord, full obedience,

Holy reverence, true humility;

Test our thoughts and our attitudes 

In the radiance of Your purity.

Cause our faith to rise; cause our eyes to see

Your majestic love and authority. 

Words of power that can never fail,

Let their truth prevail over unbelief.

Speak, O Lord, and renew our minds;

Help us grasp the heights of Your plans for us-

Truths unchanged from the dawn of time

That will echo down thro- eternity.

And by grace we'll stand on Your promises,

And by faith we'll walk as You walk with us.

Speak, O Lord, till Your church is built

And the earth is filled with Your glory.

~Keith Getty and Stuart Townend

New Blog

I'm considering beginning a more personal blog about my life as a nursing student ....