See Something More

I could hardly believe it when 11:00 AM rolled around last Saturday and I was actually done with the amount of homework I scheduled for the day. Such grace allowed me to do something that I normally don't get to do on Saturdays - I took a break from homeworking and joined a group of students on a trip to Little Rock to volunteer for PATH  (Partners Against Trafficking Humans). PATH is working on opening a new shelter, and our small team helped them prep the building and grounds. At the end of the day, we built a big bonfire with the brush we cleared. We watched the sun set and the stars come out, and we sat around and watched the fire blaze down to the glowing orange coals. As I sat on the grass and felt the warmth heating my face, my thoughts were slow and meditative instead of fleeting and rushed like they normally are. I wasn't thinking about what I needed to do next. I didn't feel like I had to get up and start working on to the next item on my to-do list. And it fe

The eye is the lamp of the body. Such a curious and intriguing statement makes me read it twice and then again. I have heard it taught, but hadn't really pondered it until now. Just as a lamp lights up the room and allows us to see things in perspective, so our eyes are the light by which we view the world. It makes me wonder: is this talking about the eyes of my heart (spiritual eyes) or my actual vision (physical eyes)? Could it actually be both? We have eyes, and we have eyes of our hearts. What if our eyes and our heart-eyes are more connected than we realize? They might be so interconnected that conduction of sight cannot occur is both are not healthy, clear, and refined. If we want to change our heart-eyes, we may have to literally adjust our eyes and the way that they see the world. Jesus taught that if the eyes are good, then the whole body will be full of light. If our vision is sharp and our perspectives are clear, then we will see the world in a new way. The physical

My heart skipped a beat when I walked across the front lawn on the way to my 8:00 am class. I heard it! I slowed my steps just a little bit and lifted my eyes to the tree tops, hoping to get glimpse of the music-maker and smile at him to show my appreciation. It was the first morning that I heard the birds singing, bidding winter goodbye and welcoming the springtime. It may be a funny thing to notice, but I assure you that I always hear the first spring time song. Well, you probably just didn't notice it before, you might say, but I beg to differ. Wintry mornings are cold and silent. Then, there is the morning of the first bird song. I can't help but notice. Something in warmer; something is brighter; something is different. I automatically recognize what makes the change - it is the birds singing. "Today I heard the birds singing for the first time on my way to class!" I announce to anyone who asks how my day is going. I hope that other people will find the same

It's that time of year: Leviticus time. About the middle of February is when we hit the book of Leviticus in our Bible reading plans, and it has a reputation for being a difficult book. The other day at lunch, I joined a group of friends that happened to be talking about incense. (I never really figured out why...) But when I walked up, they asked me, "Hey, do you know how to make incense?" Puzzled, I searched my memory and responded, "Actually, I think I was reading about that somewhere recently, but I don't remember where." "Umm, were you reading Leviticus?" my friend asked sarcastically. I think it was supposed to be a joke until I said, "Actually, yes!" And then I was just kind of weird. I guess I can kind of see why. Leviticus doesn't have the narrative stories like Genesis or the epic battle scenes found in the Kings and Chronicles. It doesn't have the lyrical worship of the Psalms or the powerful prophesies li

The sky darkened with daunting storm clouds. Looking to the sky only intensified the disciples' fears, so maybe they tried to focus on the water around them. But the waves, thrashing the boat back and forth, only threatened them more. Maybe they then turned their eyes to the boat, but it looked like the rickety fishing boat might fall apart if the stress grew any greater. Maybe the sail ripped in the wind and the boards creaked with the slam of every wave. In every direction they looked, as far as they could see, there was imminent danger. So they finally turned their eyes to the only place left to go - to Jesus. And they found him sleeping. On a cushion. Mark 4 tells the amazing story of how Jesus got up in the middle of the storm, spoke to the winds and waves, and stilled the tempest to rescue the freaked-out disciples. This true story is rich with symbolism of who Christ is for us, and I love to ponder it. Most of the time, we tend to focus on the part of the story when Jesu

"Why are we so insecure?" This was our topic of discussion Friday night as my two friends and I sat in a small circle on the floor. For some reason, this issue was weighing on our hearts. It is funny how each of us tends to be embarrassed of our own insecurities, thinking that we are alone in our feelings of inferiority. We try to hide them, thinking that no one should know. But when we open up, we find that we all share the same struggle - the struggle of insecurity. It goes kind of like this: "Hey, I kind of feel insecure around you." "No way, because I feel insecure around you." "And I feel insecure, too!" And we all laugh and say together, "Then why are we so insecure?" We discussed how we fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to others, which makes us feel inferior, unworthy, guilty, or jealous. My friend pointed out that in situations like these, the enemy uses the compare snare to destroy relationships. We turn the

Goal for the day: learn the ventilator settings and accurately interpret my patient's arterial blood gas panel. Goal for the day: perform a new skill (maybe even suction!). Goal for the day: research the pathophysiology of acute respiratory distress syndrome. I usually write it on a sticky note and stick it to the inside of my clinical folder. As a goal-oriented person, I almost always enter the clinical setting with a handwritten goal. But going into clinical this particular day, I had only one goal in mind. I wanted to share Jesus with my patient. That goal made me more nervous and excited than any other. Over the past few weeks, I have been inspired to live my life completely centered around the gospel. When I realized that God puts a patient in my path every time I go to clinical, I realized that each clinical day is an opportunity to share the gospel. I am so thankful for the Christian education that I have received in the college of nursing which has taught me the

Sipping coffee on a Wednesday night, I happily procrastinated for the sake of a sweet drink and sweet conversation. This casual meeting with a friend of mine has become something I look forward to week after week. I enjoy the smell of warm mochas with a hint of cinammon and the sound of whipped cream topping and my own slow sipping. More than that, I enjoy the pleasant conversation with my friend that never fails to turn spiritual. I listened to her describe the "little" things that the Lord had done for her throughout the week. She explained how it amazes her that our God would take notice of us and do such simple, sweet things for us. "He's a romantic God, you know." I smiled.  "Sometimes, He gives me the most marvelous sunsets on my most difficult days. He sends us sweet and unexpected blessings to remind us how much He loves us. It is kind of like chocolate on Valentine's day or a gift of flowers for no reason...only way better. It is moment