1st semester=completed!

Its difficult to mentally prepare yourself for something that everyone depicts to be so difficult. It starts by thinking of the worst possible scenarios and grades that I can get. But it is not as bad as i imagined! There were only a few sleepless nights, several tears, and okay yeah i cant lie... lots and lots of venting! My first semester of nursing school was not easy, but it was bearable. I know that the next few years are going to "fly by". That I will reach the end and wonder where it all went so fast. So I am going to do my best to keep my eyes focused on the goal in front of me. There is no reason to worry about what is to come but to keep in mind that God is sovereign and in charge. I am counting though...1 semester down, 5 to go! :)

break.family.turkey.laughter.memories.

a whole week off!? is this a dream :) i almost made it...the first landmark of the semester=thanksgiving break. a chance to take a deep breath and refuel for the last few weeks ahead. its so difficult to look at a large amount of time and feel like your never going to reach the end, but having time away from classes gives great relief. even though there is still work to be done it is nice to enjoy the company of family and comfort of familiar surroundings.  
for me the idea of staying focused over break is easy. its just a matter of self control. self control can be difficult if it has never been exercised before but nevertheless its never impossible to start!
it is important to write down everything that must be done (either due immediately or to get ahead) and then as nike says "JUST DO IT." breaks inspire me to get really organized, plan my method of attack, and go! i take task by task and finish everything i need to in the first few day(s). this not only gives me the freedom to truly enjoy the time off but prevent procrastination and feel overwhelmed. i mean...whats a break if everything is left to the end to finish and your just stressed to get it done? 
i know its so much easier said than done...but i promise it can be done. and i encourage you to try it. break will be so much more pleasant and live up to the true meaning of what it was intended to be......a break!
i look forward to sitting at that table. 26 smiling faces. too much food that will turn into leftovers. love and laughter filling the air. genuine conversation.
--i know i will be thankful for having all my work finished to fully enjoy that moment i am in--

skid row experience

the lines were long, the kids were exhausted never-the-less ecstatic, the work was hard, the parents were concerned, the blessings were abundant, the reward from serving was explainable, the california baptist nursing students thrived, the event was a success. 

the experience at skid row brings about similar emotions that were acquired while serving the people in haiti. its difficult to bring to words the feelings that develop with each individual served. each one has a unique story with special circumstances. each one has hurt and joy. each one needed the attention and love. personally for me, it was so easy to get caught up in the moment and try to help out in the different areas as quick as possible but then the concept of complete presence was brought to my memory and immediately i was convicted. convicted that i was not being real and genuine with these sweet precious lives. God calls His believers to reach out and show His love to the needy. the needy are all around us, not just over seas. the needy are right in front of us. 

Revelation 21:1-4

" Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

balance.

finding a balance.
managing all aspects within ones life successfully is a difficult task. the spriritual, social, and academic areas must be efficiently covered to remain a balanced individual. i have had much experience making sure that not one area of my life is dominant over another.

first and foremost...God must not be placed on the backburner and used as a time "filler". ultimately He is the time "giver". so easily christians forget and let earthly tasks dictate their life rather than the Creator of the world. i fail each day at not making Him the priority but continue to accept the grace and try again. another resposibility i have on a daily occasion is running. this takes up both time and energy as it is physically demanding on my body. along with these comes my academics...which require large sums of time. academics are molding my future therefore it is vital to dedicate much time to promoting this area of my life. social and personal time is important in finding a balance because without it one can easily breakdown. the best way, i have found, to find this balance in life is to get a planner set aside time for each area. this makes it easy to focus, plan ahead, and manage the various options for life.

so i will continue to find my balance. and as soon as one area seems to dominate another i will make that change.