This week's theme is whirlwind. I had a day of New Employee Orientation, went to Macon for less than 48 hours, did a training of trainers in Macon, drove back to ATL for two days of work, went to a meeting on Friday night and then yesterday drove to Cartersville to help Sarah unpack and set up her new place. Then drove back this afternoon. I am tired with a capital T. I hope the cat doesn't mind an early to bed night. This is one of those days I'm thankful to live alone...I can have a quick dinner, prep for tomorrow and then go to bed. Who cares if it's only 9:00 when I go to bed?
In all seriousness though, this has been a really amazing week. The more I get into my new job, the more I like it. We do some really, really neat stuff as an office and people really respect the work we do. I'm also coming to realize how much respect the community has for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. People are impressed when I tell them where I work and are quick to tell me about their child/grandchild/neighbor/family friend who was treated at Children's and how much they love/appreciate CHOA. Makes me feel good even if I didn't have a dad gum thing to do with it. :-)
This week was also amazing from a spiritual side. I got to watch God continue to work in my sister's life. She found a new teaching position in Cartersville but that necessitated moving about 150 miles north on I-75. She had to find a new place, book movers, pack, move, unpack and get settled. All in five days or less! God continued to work miracles. She and mom found a new place last Monday (the 23rd), booked movers to come on Friday, got everything packed and moved by Friday. We got the last of the boxes unpacked after church this morning and she is ready to start her new job tomorrow. It has been so amazingly evident that God wants her in Cartersville and He has worked everything out in His perfect timing. It's weeks/months like my family has had lately that always make me wonder why I doubt and worry. I've seen God show up and show off repeatedly but I still find myself doubtful when things get stormy. Sanctification really is a never-ending process.
I'm closing here to go round up the aforementioned quick dinner. More next week...
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Week Twenty-Nine in Review
I think the theme for this week could have been "can I be excused? My brain is full." I began my new job this week as a program manager in the Stephanie V. Blank Center for Safe and Healthy Children at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. It's a long title but an amazing group of people. We basically serve as a child abuse and neglect center for the Atlanta area. The clinic side sees patients who are victims of child sexual abuse and the pediatricians and social workers see suspected physical abuse and neglect patients in the three hospitals in our system. My side handles prevention and education work around child abuse, child sexual abuse, and commercial sexual exploitation of children. My team works to train healthcare professionals and community members on how to recognize abuse signs, how to intervene and ways to prevent abuse from happening in the first place. There is A LOT to learn but it is critically important work and I'm surrounded by amazing, passionate people who are helping me adjust. I've learned a great deal already and will continue to learn as I go. While it felt a bit like drinking from a fire hose, it's been great to work with the person I'm replacing.
I've been so tired this week that I fell behind in my Bible reading. I should finish catching up tomorrow and can start week 30 on Monday. I did read about Hezekiah this week and noticed this time through what was so different about his reign. While other kings had been "good" kings, they didn't go all the way and destroy the idols in the high places. Hezekiah did - he wanted to force the nation back to following the Lord and destroying those idols was the only way to do that. I got to thinking about whether or not I completely destroy idols in my life when I recognize them. All too often, the answer is no. I recognize God's sovereignty and am secure in my salvation but I still want to hold on to some measure of control and the idol that goes with that. It's a constant process to tear down that idol. Sanctification ain't easy y'all.
It has also been a neat week to watch God work. I got a call in the middle of the week from the person at the other job I was offered. She was calling about another project but in our conversation, she told me I had made the right decision turning the job down. The funder eliminated the funding and I would have been without a job after 2013! Praise the Lord for the other job and His timing!! I also got to see Sarah get a new job in Cartersville, GA. She's been so faithful in her job search - looking for teaching positions from border to border in GA, applying and interviewing in lots of places. The interview for this one was a month ago and she hadn't heard anything. But, they called last week and offered her the job. Of course, now we have to find her a place to live in 10 DAYS! But, God's brought her this far, He has that covered too. I'm beyond excited she's going to be so much closer to me. There are lots of times I want to attend cultural events in ATL but haven't had anyone to go with me. Since we both enjoy classical concerts and more "cultural" events, we'll have plenty to keep us busy. Yay!!
This week is busy - I have one day of New Employee Orientation at Children's and will then head to Macon for a 1 and a 1/2 day training for GCADV. This one had been scheduled well before I knew about the Children's position and they were gracious enough to let me fulfill the obligation. Then it's two more days of learning about the new job. Exciting times and definitely not boring.
I have three book reviews I need to get posted - I've got two of them written, just need to post and then one to write. Stay tuned. More next week...
I've been so tired this week that I fell behind in my Bible reading. I should finish catching up tomorrow and can start week 30 on Monday. I did read about Hezekiah this week and noticed this time through what was so different about his reign. While other kings had been "good" kings, they didn't go all the way and destroy the idols in the high places. Hezekiah did - he wanted to force the nation back to following the Lord and destroying those idols was the only way to do that. I got to thinking about whether or not I completely destroy idols in my life when I recognize them. All too often, the answer is no. I recognize God's sovereignty and am secure in my salvation but I still want to hold on to some measure of control and the idol that goes with that. It's a constant process to tear down that idol. Sanctification ain't easy y'all.
It has also been a neat week to watch God work. I got a call in the middle of the week from the person at the other job I was offered. She was calling about another project but in our conversation, she told me I had made the right decision turning the job down. The funder eliminated the funding and I would have been without a job after 2013! Praise the Lord for the other job and His timing!! I also got to see Sarah get a new job in Cartersville, GA. She's been so faithful in her job search - looking for teaching positions from border to border in GA, applying and interviewing in lots of places. The interview for this one was a month ago and she hadn't heard anything. But, they called last week and offered her the job. Of course, now we have to find her a place to live in 10 DAYS! But, God's brought her this far, He has that covered too. I'm beyond excited she's going to be so much closer to me. There are lots of times I want to attend cultural events in ATL but haven't had anyone to go with me. Since we both enjoy classical concerts and more "cultural" events, we'll have plenty to keep us busy. Yay!!
This week is busy - I have one day of New Employee Orientation at Children's and will then head to Macon for a 1 and a 1/2 day training for GCADV. This one had been scheduled well before I knew about the Children's position and they were gracious enough to let me fulfill the obligation. Then it's two more days of learning about the new job. Exciting times and definitely not boring.
I have three book reviews I need to get posted - I've got two of them written, just need to post and then one to write. Stay tuned. More next week...
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Weeks Twenty-Seven and Twenty-Eight in Review
So I missed a week on my weekly recaps. At least I had a good excuse...vacation on the beach. And while I had Internet access, I had better things to do than blog. :-)
Week Twenty-Seven was a week of endings. My last day with GCADV was July 6th. It was a good two-year experience and I am proud of the work we were able to do in less than ideal circumstances. Georgia is a tough state to do public health work in. With 159 counties, you have 159 little fiefdoms and they don't like to do things the easy way. But, we persevered and once the grant officially ends in November, the project will be looked on as a success. I value the wonderful people I met. The organization is made up of women who are true champions for women and work tirelessly to make sure their needs are met. It's not easy work by any stretch and the people who work in the field are true heroes.
Last week was all about relaxation and vacation. I had a couple of days that I went from PJ's to swimsuit back to PJ's. That's the mark of a truly relaxing vacation. I played by the pool, ate great seafood, read until my eyes couldn't stay open, walked on the beach and just simply relaxed. It was so nice to spend time with my family just enjoying each other's company without an agenda. I was sad to see it end but am looking forward to my new adventure that begins tomorrow.
Food-wise, the last two weeks haven't been great (vacations will do that). Hopefully this week won't be too bad. I am actually going to be doing a good bit of research into gluten-free eating. I know I am not gluten-sensitive and don't have celiac disease but I've been hearing lots about the benefits to going gluten-free so I'm going to do some additional research (I'm a big nerd) and then going to see what I can come up with. I've seen tons of recipes on Pintrest so hopefully I can find things that fit my criteria...healthy, easy, and tasty. I'll keep you posted.
It was neat spiritually to be at the beach with my mom last week. She is my spiritual mentor and we are on the same Bible reading plan. It was neat to get to talk with her about the book of Isaiah and the different things we found that spoke to us. I love the book of Isaiah and every time I read it, I find something new. I've never seen many of the cautionary tales before. I've always focused on the prophesies related to Christ's coming - I've glossed over the others in the past. I absolutely love how Scripture comes alive each time it's read. I love that God thinks enough of us as His children that He wants to continue teaching us new things.
I think it's off to bed now. My new job has created the need for a new schedule. I will now be leaving the house at the time I used to get up. That's going to take some adjusting. :-) Until next time...
Week Twenty-Seven was a week of endings. My last day with GCADV was July 6th. It was a good two-year experience and I am proud of the work we were able to do in less than ideal circumstances. Georgia is a tough state to do public health work in. With 159 counties, you have 159 little fiefdoms and they don't like to do things the easy way. But, we persevered and once the grant officially ends in November, the project will be looked on as a success. I value the wonderful people I met. The organization is made up of women who are true champions for women and work tirelessly to make sure their needs are met. It's not easy work by any stretch and the people who work in the field are true heroes.
Last week was all about relaxation and vacation. I had a couple of days that I went from PJ's to swimsuit back to PJ's. That's the mark of a truly relaxing vacation. I played by the pool, ate great seafood, read until my eyes couldn't stay open, walked on the beach and just simply relaxed. It was so nice to spend time with my family just enjoying each other's company without an agenda. I was sad to see it end but am looking forward to my new adventure that begins tomorrow.
Food-wise, the last two weeks haven't been great (vacations will do that). Hopefully this week won't be too bad. I am actually going to be doing a good bit of research into gluten-free eating. I know I am not gluten-sensitive and don't have celiac disease but I've been hearing lots about the benefits to going gluten-free so I'm going to do some additional research (I'm a big nerd) and then going to see what I can come up with. I've seen tons of recipes on Pintrest so hopefully I can find things that fit my criteria...healthy, easy, and tasty. I'll keep you posted.
It was neat spiritually to be at the beach with my mom last week. She is my spiritual mentor and we are on the same Bible reading plan. It was neat to get to talk with her about the book of Isaiah and the different things we found that spoke to us. I love the book of Isaiah and every time I read it, I find something new. I've never seen many of the cautionary tales before. I've always focused on the prophesies related to Christ's coming - I've glossed over the others in the past. I absolutely love how Scripture comes alive each time it's read. I love that God thinks enough of us as His children that He wants to continue teaching us new things.
I think it's off to bed now. My new job has created the need for a new schedule. I will now be leaving the house at the time I used to get up. That's going to take some adjusting. :-) Until next time...
Sunday, July 1, 2012
no greater LOVE - A Book Review
From the Back: California businessman Levi Benkert was playing with his children in the park when he received an urgent phone call from a friend asking him to drop everything and fly to Ethiopia to help organize a rescue orphanage for children destined to be murdered as part of a tribal superstition know as "mingi." In tribal culture, children and infants with even the slightest defect are considered "cursed" and are killed by their own parents, who fear allowing the children to live will cause bad luck to descend on the village. Moved by his friend's story, Levi packed his bags and left for what he thought would be a short two-week trip. Once he arrived in Ethiopia and met the children, however, Levi knew there was no turning back. Six weeks later Levi, his wife Jessie, and their three young children sold their home and all their belongings and relocated to Ethiopia indefinitely. What followed was the adventure of a lifetime. From the challenges of establishing and running the orphanage and finding adoptive homes for the rescued children to his continued efforts to work with tribal leaders and bring an end to "mingi killings" once and for all, No Greater Love is a gripping and poignant story of one man's quest to make a difference - no matter the cost.
Synopsis: Levi Benkert was a businessman in California who was seemingly on top of the world until the recession hits and everything falls apart. As he is searching for what to do, a friend reaches out and asks him to go to Ethiopia to see about opening an orphanage to save children. Benkert agrees to go and what he sees changes his life forever. He comes back to the states, packs up his family and moves to Ethiopia. the book chronicles the early days of his ministry, the ups and downs and highlights God's hands through it all. Benkert goes through the trials of working with local leaders, the distrust, the language barriers and the difficulties of living in such harsh conditions.
My Review: This is a small book but packs quite a punch. Benkert gives up a great deal to follow God's call on his life. He does not sugarcoat the difficulties of working in such harsh conditions. He was honest about the process - the detractors he heard from (and there were many) - the bureaucratic difficulties - the loneliness his family faced. The writing style lets the reader feel the horror of children killed because of tribal superstitions, feel the weight of mistakes made, and feel the triumph of the small victories. I appreciated Benkert's honesty. He could have glossed over their mistakes but he chose instead to share them with the world. He was open with the raw emotions he and his wife Jessie felt as they dealt with all the issues work in a developing country can bring. It was also refreshing to see that while Benkert knows God is guiding the process, he still has questions and struggles with his call. Too many times, Christian writers seem to gloss over their struggles and appear "super-Christian" instead of focusing on how God made everything happen. This book is not that - this is an honest and raw look at the difficulties in adoption, and in serving God in the hard places. Keep the Kleenex handy; you'll need them.
Score: 4.5 bookmarks out of 5
Note About the Book: At the end, there is a website: www.bringlove.in. This website is the personal site for the ministry in Ethiopia. You can check it out for more information. They are planning a US tour starting week after next. Lots of locations on the calendar though not many in the Southeast.
Note: Tyndale House Publishers gave me a copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.
Week Twenty-Six in Review
Can you believe the year is officially half over? Where have the first six months gone? You can definitely tell from the temperatures outside that it is not winter! 100+ temps for three days in a row is nuts. I don't live in Phoenix for a reason! I guess it's God's way of letting me feel a little of what my friend Lisa is experiencing in West Africa this summer.
This was a pretty low-key week. I am finishing up some projects at work but I can definitely tell my time is ending - I view things differently and it's getting harder and harder to get out of bed in the mornings. Of course, my upcoming beach trip might have something to do with that. :-) I will look back fondly on my time at GCADV but it is time to move on. I am quite thankful God brought me the new position at Children's Healthcare and I'm looking forward to whatever my next adventure is.
I had a couple of thoughts spiritually this week while I was reading. First, I was struck by Naaman's response in 2 Kings 5 when Elisha gave him a cure for leprosy. He was upset because it wasn't a bold enough plan and Elisha sent the cure by messenger instead of coming himself. I couldn't believe he was willing to give up a cure for leprosy because the cure wasn't big enough. While calmer heads did prevail, I pondered how often my response to God's provision is similar. The answer doesn't come soon enough, isn't exactly what I wanted or how I wanted it. It just proves that we all have a hard time being content with how God provides.
The second thought pertained to the evilness that shows up in the lineage of the Kings and how God continued to be faithful in spite of the evilness. In 2 Kings 8, the writer is detailing how evil Jehoram was but highlighted that God did not destroy Judah because of the promise He made to David - promising a continued kingdom through his line. I was just reminded that our God is a God of promises - He keeps His even when we break ours. My heart was so thankful for that this week. While I don't think grace is a license to sin freely, I'm thankful we are given grace for those times when we do sin.
I ended the week with a wonderful visit from my mom and sister. We did our annual girls' weekend more low-key this year. Instead of traveling somewhere, they came up here and we went to the Braves game on Friday night, outlet shopping yesterday and then church and lunch today. The Braves game was hot as you know where and they lost but we still had a great time together. We had great seats and since it was so hot, the crowds weren't ridiculously big. Yesterday we went up to Dawsonville to outlet shop. I managed to find some great deals to add to my "professional" wardrobe. Since all my jobs since college have been for non-profits or churches or required scrubs, I haven't needed the most professional looking wardrobe. Well, Children's is a little different. While I don't have to wear suits every day (Praise the Lord!), I do have to dress above business casual. No capris, no denim, no flip flops. So, I had to add clothes and shoes. Fortunately, Sarah has FABULOUS taste and helped me pick some things out and then last night, she helped me organize outfits. I have at least 60 outfits cataloged on my phone and there are probably more than 20 that we didn't catalog because I could figure them out on my own. So, so thankful for a fashionista sister. And we get to do it all over again in the fall when we add winter tops.
I guess that's it for now. I'm planning to try and stay in one place the rest of the night. It's cooler that way. More next week from the beach...
This was a pretty low-key week. I am finishing up some projects at work but I can definitely tell my time is ending - I view things differently and it's getting harder and harder to get out of bed in the mornings. Of course, my upcoming beach trip might have something to do with that. :-) I will look back fondly on my time at GCADV but it is time to move on. I am quite thankful God brought me the new position at Children's Healthcare and I'm looking forward to whatever my next adventure is.
I had a couple of thoughts spiritually this week while I was reading. First, I was struck by Naaman's response in 2 Kings 5 when Elisha gave him a cure for leprosy. He was upset because it wasn't a bold enough plan and Elisha sent the cure by messenger instead of coming himself. I couldn't believe he was willing to give up a cure for leprosy because the cure wasn't big enough. While calmer heads did prevail, I pondered how often my response to God's provision is similar. The answer doesn't come soon enough, isn't exactly what I wanted or how I wanted it. It just proves that we all have a hard time being content with how God provides.
The second thought pertained to the evilness that shows up in the lineage of the Kings and how God continued to be faithful in spite of the evilness. In 2 Kings 8, the writer is detailing how evil Jehoram was but highlighted that God did not destroy Judah because of the promise He made to David - promising a continued kingdom through his line. I was just reminded that our God is a God of promises - He keeps His even when we break ours. My heart was so thankful for that this week. While I don't think grace is a license to sin freely, I'm thankful we are given grace for those times when we do sin.
I ended the week with a wonderful visit from my mom and sister. We did our annual girls' weekend more low-key this year. Instead of traveling somewhere, they came up here and we went to the Braves game on Friday night, outlet shopping yesterday and then church and lunch today. The Braves game was hot as you know where and they lost but we still had a great time together. We had great seats and since it was so hot, the crowds weren't ridiculously big. Yesterday we went up to Dawsonville to outlet shop. I managed to find some great deals to add to my "professional" wardrobe. Since all my jobs since college have been for non-profits or churches or required scrubs, I haven't needed the most professional looking wardrobe. Well, Children's is a little different. While I don't have to wear suits every day (Praise the Lord!), I do have to dress above business casual. No capris, no denim, no flip flops. So, I had to add clothes and shoes. Fortunately, Sarah has FABULOUS taste and helped me pick some things out and then last night, she helped me organize outfits. I have at least 60 outfits cataloged on my phone and there are probably more than 20 that we didn't catalog because I could figure them out on my own. So, so thankful for a fashionista sister. And we get to do it all over again in the fall when we add winter tops.
I guess that's it for now. I'm planning to try and stay in one place the rest of the night. It's cooler that way. More next week from the beach...
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Week Twenty-Five in Review
Wow, this week flew by. It was a pretty low-key week compared to the last few weeks in my life. In fact, it was so low-key, I don't remember much to blog about. :-) I am finishing projects up at work and it's a bit surreal at work - I'm still working for GCADV and have things to do but it feels weird since I know my last day is two weeks away. I imagine the feeling is only going to get weirder. I am slowly checking off the things I need to do for my new job. I think the only thing I have left is to get my employee ID badge made. That was supposed to happen last week but the system was freaking out so I couldn't do it when I had my pre-employment physical. I do have to say, Children's Healthcare is on top of things when it comes to getting employees ready to work there. The process has been so smooth and they have been there to answer any questions that might come up. If working for them is as smooth, I can see why they are one of the city's top employers!
On my eating plan, it wasn't the best of weeks and I don't know why. I really, really struggle with the willpower to avoid foods I know are bad for me. I'm trying to come up with ways around it but I'm at a loss. I'm continuing to try and eat healthier foods, it's just a struggle. Also struggling to get back into an exercise routine. I'm hoping and praying that having access to exercise equipment on-site at my new job will help motivate me to exercise. Children's provides that free of charge to employees (and provides free access to a trainer and nutritionist). Gotta love that! I'm making plans to make a whole new start when my new job starts - new job, new outlook, new attitude towards food and exercise. I'm spending the time between now and then doing the best I can, making plans and preparing. We'll see how that works.
Spiritually this week, it's been more in the Chronicles and Kings. I will say I am enjoying them much more this year than I have in years past. I think the way the reading plan breaks them up makes them more story-like and you read the same story at the same time. I'm amazed at the parallels I see in the way some of the kings of Judah acted and the way I have a tendency to act. While they often followed God, they didn't necessarily give over 100% of their lives to Him. Many of the kings left the high places built and that left the door open for idol worship. I think about how that is reflected in my own life. I leave access to sin open in my life and it can separate me from God's presence. I pray that I recognize those times and work to pull down those idols. For me, they change quite often - food, money, and worry are my three biggies but others sometimes creep in. As much as I used to question the Israelites for their actions against God, I see clearly now how my own life is so similar. I'm thankful God continues to work on my heart to make me more like Him.
This week promises to be more of the same as last week - finishing projects at work and preparing to move on to the next phase in my journey. Topping of the workweek with a Braves game on Friday night with mom and Sarah. Definitely looking forward to that! More next week...
On my eating plan, it wasn't the best of weeks and I don't know why. I really, really struggle with the willpower to avoid foods I know are bad for me. I'm trying to come up with ways around it but I'm at a loss. I'm continuing to try and eat healthier foods, it's just a struggle. Also struggling to get back into an exercise routine. I'm hoping and praying that having access to exercise equipment on-site at my new job will help motivate me to exercise. Children's provides that free of charge to employees (and provides free access to a trainer and nutritionist). Gotta love that! I'm making plans to make a whole new start when my new job starts - new job, new outlook, new attitude towards food and exercise. I'm spending the time between now and then doing the best I can, making plans and preparing. We'll see how that works.
Spiritually this week, it's been more in the Chronicles and Kings. I will say I am enjoying them much more this year than I have in years past. I think the way the reading plan breaks them up makes them more story-like and you read the same story at the same time. I'm amazed at the parallels I see in the way some of the kings of Judah acted and the way I have a tendency to act. While they often followed God, they didn't necessarily give over 100% of their lives to Him. Many of the kings left the high places built and that left the door open for idol worship. I think about how that is reflected in my own life. I leave access to sin open in my life and it can separate me from God's presence. I pray that I recognize those times and work to pull down those idols. For me, they change quite often - food, money, and worry are my three biggies but others sometimes creep in. As much as I used to question the Israelites for their actions against God, I see clearly now how my own life is so similar. I'm thankful God continues to work on my heart to make me more like Him.
This week promises to be more of the same as last week - finishing projects at work and preparing to move on to the next phase in my journey. Topping of the workweek with a Braves game on Friday night with mom and Sarah. Definitely looking forward to that! More next week...
Chasing the Sun - A Book Review
From the Back: When her father disappears in war-torn Mississippi, Hannah Dandridge finds herself responsible not only for her younger siblings but also for the Texas ranch her father recently acquired. A marriage of convenience could ease her predicament...but is it the true desire of her heart? Wounded soldier William Barnett returns home only to find out that his family's ranch has been seized. Though angered at this turn of events, he's surprised to discover that it is a beautiful young woman with amazing fortitude who is struggling to keep the place running. Despite these circumstances, Hannah and William form and uneasy truce...and an undeniable attraction builds between them. In a land where loyalties are divided in a country ravaged by war, is there any home that the first blush of love can survive?
Synopsis: Hannah has moved with her family to Texas to escape the Civil War hardships of Mississippi. Her dad has supposedly gone back to Mississippi and left Hannah alone to maintain the ranch. According to her father's business partner, Mr. Lockhart, Hannah's dad has been taken prisoner by the Yankee army. Unbeknownst to Hannah, Mr. Lockhart has had Hannah's father killed so he could move in on the ranch land and marry Hannah. At the same time, William Blake, the son of the ranch's original owner returns to Texas after being injured in the war. William is angered to know that the ranch has been seized and given to Hannah's father as a reward for helping the Confederacy. Hannah is overwhelmed trying to maintain the ranch, take care of her younger siblings, fend off Mr. Lockhart's advances, and deal with William Blake. She agrees to let Mr. Blake live on the ranch to help out. As the story builds, Hannah discovers she has feelings for William but forces herself to hide those feelings. The tension continues to build to the final climax when all the secrets are revealed.
Review: I wasn't familiar with Tracie Peterson before but I'm glad I took the chance on this book. While this is probably billed as a historical romance, there is much more to this book that the relationship between Hannah and William. There is a mystery (Mr. Lockhart's scheming) and an adventure (problems with Indians) that weave into the plot. You definitely won't get bored reading this book. I also appreciate the development Peterson did with her characters. I loved the independent streak in Hannah. She knows what she wants and goes after it. I also loved her heart. She truly cares for those she encounters, going so far as to share with gospel with the so-called savage Indians. On the other side, I quickly came to despise Mr. Lockhart. He is an evil, smarmy character that you will despise within the first couple of chapters. I found myself hoping something bad would happen to him. I don't usually have that kind of reaction to "bad" characters in novels so I'm chalking it up to Peterson's character development. Overall, this was a really good book. It kept my interest very easily and eventually got to the "keep me up at night to finish" point. You won't regret picking this one up!
Score: 4.0 bookmarks out of 5.
Note: Bethany House Publishing gave me a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Week Twenty-Four in Review
So, I'm a little late with this week's update too. But, I have a good excuse...I went home to celebrate Sarah's birthday (and all about her day) and Father's Day. Mom and Sarah and I had a great time getting pedicures, having lunch together, shopping and then having Japanese food for dinner. During our shopping trip, I got the benefit of Sarah's fashion expertise (and mom's $$) to add new tops to my wardrobe. Sarah has an uncanny ability to put outfits together and I love, love, love getting to take advantage of that skill. I have NO fashion sense - she keeps me from looking like a hobo. :-)
Last week was a little eventful. On Tuesday, the recruiter from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta called and offered me the Program Manager position at the Child Protection Center and I accepted. This was my first-choice position and I am thrilled to be joining a strong organization and a great team. I will be managing a team that focuses on prevention and education around the issues of child abuse and neglect, child sexual abuse and child sex exploitation. While it is sensitive work, the opportunity to stay in prevention and advocacy is wonderful for me professionally. It is also a step up for me in terms of responsibility. I will be supervising people and budgets for the first time. I am excited about the new journey God is taking me on.
Healthy eating-wise last week during the week was up and down. Sarah and I had a wonderful, healthy Sarah-created meal on Monday night. (She has great fashion sense AND she cooks. What more could a sister ask for?) Tuesday night we celebrated my new job. The meal wasn't too unhealthy but the dessert certainly was. ;-) The rest of the week was up and down - some healthy, some not-so. I am still trying to focus (and doing well) on eating more fresh fruits and veggies and drinking more water. This week should be better since I have no out of the office meetings and got stocked up on leftovers from mom and dad's. The leftovers make it MUCH easier to add a quick side or salad and have a healthy lunch or dinner without much thought. Love, love, love getting that added bonus from a visit to mom and dad's!
My spiritual thoughts this week have been centered around where Solomon went so wrong. He spent much of his life following in his father's footsteps, following God's commands and walking with God. Then he veered off course. While Scripture doesn't explicitly state this, I think it was a pride issue. Scripture does tell us that Solomon had tons of people, including the Queen of Sheba, telling him how great he was. I think after a while, he did whatwe are I am so prone to do...he listened to his own press and forgot all about God. I used to be so judgmental of Old Testament characters, wondering how they could forget about God. Then I realized I do the same dadgum thing repeatedly. Of course, my sin doesn't lead to the splitting of a kingdom like Solomon's did but it's critically important anyway. My prayer through this week is that God would help me put aside my worldly pride and always remember that He is the only one due any glory and anything and everything I have is because of His work in my life.
On a lighter note, I have two book reviews to get posted in the coming days. One fiction, one non-fiction, both great reads. More later...
Last week was a little eventful. On Tuesday, the recruiter from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta called and offered me the Program Manager position at the Child Protection Center and I accepted. This was my first-choice position and I am thrilled to be joining a strong organization and a great team. I will be managing a team that focuses on prevention and education around the issues of child abuse and neglect, child sexual abuse and child sex exploitation. While it is sensitive work, the opportunity to stay in prevention and advocacy is wonderful for me professionally. It is also a step up for me in terms of responsibility. I will be supervising people and budgets for the first time. I am excited about the new journey God is taking me on.
Healthy eating-wise last week during the week was up and down. Sarah and I had a wonderful, healthy Sarah-created meal on Monday night. (She has great fashion sense AND she cooks. What more could a sister ask for?) Tuesday night we celebrated my new job. The meal wasn't too unhealthy but the dessert certainly was. ;-) The rest of the week was up and down - some healthy, some not-so. I am still trying to focus (and doing well) on eating more fresh fruits and veggies and drinking more water. This week should be better since I have no out of the office meetings and got stocked up on leftovers from mom and dad's. The leftovers make it MUCH easier to add a quick side or salad and have a healthy lunch or dinner without much thought. Love, love, love getting that added bonus from a visit to mom and dad's!
My spiritual thoughts this week have been centered around where Solomon went so wrong. He spent much of his life following in his father's footsteps, following God's commands and walking with God. Then he veered off course. While Scripture doesn't explicitly state this, I think it was a pride issue. Scripture does tell us that Solomon had tons of people, including the Queen of Sheba, telling him how great he was. I think after a while, he did what
On a lighter note, I have two book reviews to get posted in the coming days. One fiction, one non-fiction, both great reads. More later...
Monday, June 11, 2012
Week Twenty-Three in Review
Oops, didn't get the update in before the next week started. Oh well...at least I have a good excuse. I have company in town and I would rather spend time with my sister than update my blog.
This past week was a good week - I had a great second interview with my #1 choice. I still haven't heard anything but am praying something happens soon. I'm not exactly the most patient person in the world. I know God has everything in control and something will happen in His timing, I just have to keep reminding myself of that fact.
I did eat better this past week - planning ahead worked tremendously. It really does make a difference when I can be at home most nights. I am planning on a repeat in week 24. Still working on adding in the exercise but I'll get there.
Spiritually, it's been a quiet week. I've been reading about Solomon's reign over the nation of Israel and through Proverbs. I love the wisdom in the Proverbs but nothing fully stood out this week. I will say this reading plan has made it MUCH easier to get through Kings and Chronicles! These have been the bane of my existence each time I read through the Bible in a year. Fortunately, this plan breaks them up to where you aren't stuck reading huge passages of the same thing multiple days in a row.
Okay, that's the short and sweet update from last week. I do have a book review to complete so hopefully will get that update posted soon. More next week...
This past week was a good week - I had a great second interview with my #1 choice. I still haven't heard anything but am praying something happens soon. I'm not exactly the most patient person in the world. I know God has everything in control and something will happen in His timing, I just have to keep reminding myself of that fact.
I did eat better this past week - planning ahead worked tremendously. It really does make a difference when I can be at home most nights. I am planning on a repeat in week 24. Still working on adding in the exercise but I'll get there.
Spiritually, it's been a quiet week. I've been reading about Solomon's reign over the nation of Israel and through Proverbs. I love the wisdom in the Proverbs but nothing fully stood out this week. I will say this reading plan has made it MUCH easier to get through Kings and Chronicles! These have been the bane of my existence each time I read through the Bible in a year. Fortunately, this plan breaks them up to where you aren't stuck reading huge passages of the same thing multiple days in a row.
Okay, that's the short and sweet update from last week. I do have a book review to complete so hopefully will get that update posted soon. More next week...
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Week Twenty-Two in Review
This has been a pretty boring week aside from two job interviews and a job offer. I know, not boring for most people but since there was no travel involved, it's pretty boring. :-) I have another interview (a second interview) coming up on Tuesday so we'll see what God has in store. Either job would be good positions - both would be more money and less travel. I do have a favorite but I'm keeping that to myself for now. If you would like more details, email me and I'll share. I'm just being careful what's shared publicly for now.
Food-wise, I ate better this week - planned ahead and used my Memorial Day holiday to prepare meat for use over the week and beyond. Hope to keep it up this week. Having only one class to teach has helped. I am home in the evenings and can eat properly. Being AT HOME instead of on the road helps too. It's just difficult to make the healthiest eating choices when on the road.
Spiritually, this was an interesting week. Spent the week in Song of Solomon and Proverbs. Proverbs is always so interesting to read. I'm always struck by different things. This week, two things stood out: God's view on how the poor should be treated and the importance of fighting against seduction. I have started underlining how often the poor are mentioned and you can tell quite quickly how seriously God takes our treatment of the poor. He calls for destruction for those who would mistreat the poor. I think that serves as a warning for us in today's society. I know that many of my trips around ATL bring me into contact with those society would view as "poor." I've been thinking about how often I ignore them or try to pretend I don't see them. That's my sinful side coming out big-time. God commands us to love the poor. I should be looking for ways to engage the people around me. Even if I can't do something to meet an immediate need, I can at least be encouraging to them - offering a smile or a handshake.
The second thought was about seduction. The question was raised in my Bible study book, what are you seduced by? That question got me to pondering. I think we all too often hear the word seduction and immediately think sex. Maybe it's just me but I doubt it. We are all seduced by something in this world...food, fortune, success, fame - the list is endless. Proverbs warns about being seduced and how to avoid that seduction. Often it means fleeing from the temptation. I'll admit, sometimes, that's just hard. That piece of cake looks so yummy...I could do so much good if I just had more money...I'd be happier if I was more popular, etc. I am easily swayed by the things of this world and have to focus day-by-day, sometimes minute-by-minute on Christ to overcome the seductions of the world. It's just been on my mind ever since I read that question. I'm not sure I have any mind-blowing answers; I was just reminded during the week how important it is to keep my focus on Christ and Christ alone.
I'm now off to enjoy the rest of my evening. Have a healthy dinner planned and then will hopefully go to bed early. Busy week ahead - lots of stuff to do in the office. More next week...
Food-wise, I ate better this week - planned ahead and used my Memorial Day holiday to prepare meat for use over the week and beyond. Hope to keep it up this week. Having only one class to teach has helped. I am home in the evenings and can eat properly. Being AT HOME instead of on the road helps too. It's just difficult to make the healthiest eating choices when on the road.
Spiritually, this was an interesting week. Spent the week in Song of Solomon and Proverbs. Proverbs is always so interesting to read. I'm always struck by different things. This week, two things stood out: God's view on how the poor should be treated and the importance of fighting against seduction. I have started underlining how often the poor are mentioned and you can tell quite quickly how seriously God takes our treatment of the poor. He calls for destruction for those who would mistreat the poor. I think that serves as a warning for us in today's society. I know that many of my trips around ATL bring me into contact with those society would view as "poor." I've been thinking about how often I ignore them or try to pretend I don't see them. That's my sinful side coming out big-time. God commands us to love the poor. I should be looking for ways to engage the people around me. Even if I can't do something to meet an immediate need, I can at least be encouraging to them - offering a smile or a handshake.
The second thought was about seduction. The question was raised in my Bible study book, what are you seduced by? That question got me to pondering. I think we all too often hear the word seduction and immediately think sex. Maybe it's just me but I doubt it. We are all seduced by something in this world...food, fortune, success, fame - the list is endless. Proverbs warns about being seduced and how to avoid that seduction. Often it means fleeing from the temptation. I'll admit, sometimes, that's just hard. That piece of cake looks so yummy...I could do so much good if I just had more money...I'd be happier if I was more popular, etc. I am easily swayed by the things of this world and have to focus day-by-day, sometimes minute-by-minute on Christ to overcome the seductions of the world. It's just been on my mind ever since I read that question. I'm not sure I have any mind-blowing answers; I was just reminded during the week how important it is to keep my focus on Christ and Christ alone.
I'm now off to enjoy the rest of my evening. Have a healthy dinner planned and then will hopefully go to bed early. Busy week ahead - lots of stuff to do in the office. More next week...
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Blue Moon Bay - A Book Review
About
the Book: Heather Hampton returns to
Moses Lake, Texas, to help facilitate the sale of a family farm as part of a
planned industrial plant that will provide the area with much-needed jobs.
Heather's future fiance has brokered the deal, and Heather is in line to do her
first large-scale architectural design--if the deal goes through.
But the
currents of Moses Lake have a way of taking visitors on unexpected journeys.
What was intended to be a quick trip suddenly morphs into Valentine's
week--with Blaine Underhill, the handsome banker who just happens to be
opposing Heather's project. Spending the holiday in an ex-funeral parlor seems
like a nightmare, but Heather slowly finds herself being drawn into the area's history,
hope, and heart.
Synopsis: Heather Hampton is an architect from Seattle
who returns to Texas to try and seal a deal that will lead to a major promotion
for her at work. Unfortunately for
Heather, this little town in Texas holds horrible memories for her and she
dreads the trip. Her trip to Moses Lake
goes horribly wrong and when she arrives in Moses Lake, things are not what
they seem and her family seems to be keeping major secrets. Heather presses on and begins to investigate
what's really going on to prevent the deal from being completed. Her simple trip thwarted, she begins to look
inward and question her life and what changes she needs to make. By the end of the book, questions are
answered and Heather has made major decisions about her life.
Review: I'm not really sure how to describe my
feelings about the book. While it was a
good book, I found myself getting annoyed with the main character quite often. At points she came across as a whining,
spoiled brat and I wanted to reach into the pages and shake her. I usually don't like books where I don't like
the main character. But, for this novel,
Wingate has enough intrigue in the book, I wanted to keep reading even though
Heather drove me crazy. I liked the fact
there were twists and turns throughout the novel that kept the story
moving. While the book itself took a bit
of time to get started, I finished it quite quickly once I got going. Overall, it's not a great book but it was a
decent read.
Score: 3 bookmarks out of 5.
Note: Bethany House Publishers gave me a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.
Note: Bethany House Publishers gave me a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.
Week Twenty-One in Review
Interesting week to say the least...started the week in Minneapolis, MN. It was an interesting trip and Minneapolis is a neat city. More on that later.
Other than the trip, this week had a job interview in it. I would love to work for this organization and really liked the person I interviewed with (she would be my direct supervisor). I can't say 100% how it went - I think it went well but it's so hard to tell. I don't meet all their criteria 100% and she was a little concerned about the focus of my current work (it doesn't directly match up with their focus). I was hoping to hear something on Friday about a second interview but I didn't. Maybe Tuesday. Speaking of Tuesday, I also have a second interview with another place on Tuesday. That's a positive. If I make it to the final round there, that interview would be on Thursday. This coming week might be/hopefully will be a week of interviews. :-)
Spiritually I've been thinking a great deal about God's provision. It's not really in line with my reading this week but it's been on my heart. I have a sense of peace about my job search and I think it's because I'm just resting in the idea that God has taken care of me so visibly the last couple of years. I have seen His provision over and over and over and in the strangest of ways. Of course my bills are always met but even when there are extra expenses I didn't expect, the money is there. I like to think it's my own "loaves and fishes" moment. I'm not always this calm about things; I can worry with the best of them, but I really think God is maturing me in my walk. Worry isn't my first emotion anymore.
On to Minneapolis...this was an interesting trip. The conference was for work and it focused on meeting the needs of abused Asian/Pacific Islander women. I learned a great deal about culture, the differences between interpreters and translators and the needs of deaf women. And, the city of Minneapolis is a great small city. They have kept so much green space in the city - there was a great park area right behind my hotel. It is also incredibly clean and easy to navigate. I did take their light rail system to the Mall of America. It is overwhelming - I constantly needed the map to know where I was headed. It would have been much more fun with other people. I would love to go back to explore the city and surrounding area. Here are some pictures from the trip.
I had a great trip and would love to go back but I am completely happy that I have no travel scheduled for work until late July. I do have two trips scheduled but one is home for Father's Day/Sarah's birthday celebrations and the other is a trip to the beach. That's my kind of traveling.
This week I hope to refocus on healthy eating and exercising. I'm planning to cook a little bit tomorrow so I have some meals planned out to schedule around my evening plans this week. I really want to get back to the focus I had earlier in the year. I got off track; now I need to get back on track. More next week...
Other than the trip, this week had a job interview in it. I would love to work for this organization and really liked the person I interviewed with (she would be my direct supervisor). I can't say 100% how it went - I think it went well but it's so hard to tell. I don't meet all their criteria 100% and she was a little concerned about the focus of my current work (it doesn't directly match up with their focus). I was hoping to hear something on Friday about a second interview but I didn't. Maybe Tuesday. Speaking of Tuesday, I also have a second interview with another place on Tuesday. That's a positive. If I make it to the final round there, that interview would be on Thursday. This coming week might be/hopefully will be a week of interviews. :-)
Spiritually I've been thinking a great deal about God's provision. It's not really in line with my reading this week but it's been on my heart. I have a sense of peace about my job search and I think it's because I'm just resting in the idea that God has taken care of me so visibly the last couple of years. I have seen His provision over and over and over and in the strangest of ways. Of course my bills are always met but even when there are extra expenses I didn't expect, the money is there. I like to think it's my own "loaves and fishes" moment. I'm not always this calm about things; I can worry with the best of them, but I really think God is maturing me in my walk. Worry isn't my first emotion anymore.
On to Minneapolis...this was an interesting trip. The conference was for work and it focused on meeting the needs of abused Asian/Pacific Islander women. I learned a great deal about culture, the differences between interpreters and translators and the needs of deaf women. And, the city of Minneapolis is a great small city. They have kept so much green space in the city - there was a great park area right behind my hotel. It is also incredibly clean and easy to navigate. I did take their light rail system to the Mall of America. It is overwhelming - I constantly needed the map to know where I was headed. It would have been much more fun with other people. I would love to go back to explore the city and surrounding area. Here are some pictures from the trip.
 |
| Welcome to the Mall of America |
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| Kids' Area inside MoA |
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| Beautiful Church in Downtown |
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| View of Park from My Hotel |
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| Entry to Downtown Park |
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| Target Field (Where Twins Play) |
This week I hope to refocus on healthy eating and exercising. I'm planning to cook a little bit tomorrow so I have some meals planned out to schedule around my evening plans this week. I really want to get back to the focus I had earlier in the year. I got off track; now I need to get back on track. More next week...
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Week Twenty in Review
I cannot believe we are already 20 weeks into 2012! Where does the time go? This week was a mixed bag. While I am tired because it was a crazy week with some travel, it was a good week overall. I had an excellent training in Albany on Monday and was pretty productive the rest of the week. I really wanted to get a good bit done since I'm going to be gone (again) this week. I do get to visit a new state, number 36 out of 50. I'm not sure how much of Minneapolis I'll get to see since I'm in a conference all three days but we'll see. I have checked and John Piper's not preaching and the Twins are out of town. Boo! I'm hoping the Mall of America isn't too hard to get to. Maybe I can get some retail therapy in. Of course, can't buy too much, budget and suitcase size won't allow it. :-)
Spiritually this week has lead to some interesting revelations or thought processes. Most of the readings focused on Psalms. One in particular stood out to me, Psalm 109. The book I'm using as a companion to my readings called it the most extreme imprecatory Psalm in Scripture. Imprecatory is the five dollar word for "asking God to rain down all kinds of misery on your enemies". King David held nothing back, begging God to bring all kinds of tragedy down on his enemies. He wanted God to strike them dead, leave their children fatherless and their wives widows. He found nothing good in them and laid out their misdeeds before God. What struck me so was that the first "crime" David highlighted was their mistreatment of the poor! Wow! What does that say about how God views the poor and in turn, how we as Christ followers are to view the poor. That's just been stuck in my head this week - what does that mean for me and my ministry efforts in the city of Atlanta? I don't have any real answers, I've just been thinking about it all week. I also have a few thoughts on Psalm 139 but they aren't fully thought out yet so I'm keeping them to myself. Those thoughts may end up in another blog post later in the week, we'll see.
I do have a couple of prayer requests. I have two open job applications right now for new positions. My current employment is scheduled to end in November and so I've been looking for other positions while helping to investigate other ways to pay for my work at the Coalition. I've had one phone interview and have an in-person interview with the other place on Thursday. Either job would be a good fit and provide some stability. I do have a preference but I'm keeping that close to the vest for obvious reasons. :-) If you'd like specifics on how to pray, email me and I'll be happy to share.
I'm off to get ready for bed since I have to leave for the airport around 8 in the morning. Hope to have Minnesota pictures in next week's blog. Until next time...
Spiritually this week has lead to some interesting revelations or thought processes. Most of the readings focused on Psalms. One in particular stood out to me, Psalm 109. The book I'm using as a companion to my readings called it the most extreme imprecatory Psalm in Scripture. Imprecatory is the five dollar word for "asking God to rain down all kinds of misery on your enemies". King David held nothing back, begging God to bring all kinds of tragedy down on his enemies. He wanted God to strike them dead, leave their children fatherless and their wives widows. He found nothing good in them and laid out their misdeeds before God. What struck me so was that the first "crime" David highlighted was their mistreatment of the poor! Wow! What does that say about how God views the poor and in turn, how we as Christ followers are to view the poor. That's just been stuck in my head this week - what does that mean for me and my ministry efforts in the city of Atlanta? I don't have any real answers, I've just been thinking about it all week. I also have a few thoughts on Psalm 139 but they aren't fully thought out yet so I'm keeping them to myself. Those thoughts may end up in another blog post later in the week, we'll see.
I do have a couple of prayer requests. I have two open job applications right now for new positions. My current employment is scheduled to end in November and so I've been looking for other positions while helping to investigate other ways to pay for my work at the Coalition. I've had one phone interview and have an in-person interview with the other place on Thursday. Either job would be a good fit and provide some stability. I do have a preference but I'm keeping that close to the vest for obvious reasons. :-) If you'd like specifics on how to pray, email me and I'll be happy to share.
I'm off to get ready for bed since I have to leave for the airport around 8 in the morning. Hope to have Minnesota pictures in next week's blog. Until next time...
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Week Nineteen in Review
So, I'm writing this from the comfort of my hotel room in Albany, GA. I feel like hotels are my second home. :-) I counted last night and over the last 12 months, I have spent at least one night in a hotel room in 9 of those 12 months. I truly love what I do but the travel is getting old. I can tell you the ins and outs of hotel chains as well as when/where to try (or not try) local restaurants. Chains I usually avoid turn into culinary slices of heaven when in small towns.
This past week was not overly productive since I spent three days conducting a training. Well, it was productive for the training participants since we taught them a lot of information. But for me, not so productive. Tomorrow I'm training in Albany on a totally different topic but will lose a day of office productivity. Since I have a couple of time-sensitive projects, I'm praying Tuesday-Friday offers some productive time.
Spiritually, I continued reading through II Samuel and the Psalms. I continued to notice the impact of sin on David's life and the lives of people in David's life. I came away with several understandings this week...further emphasis on how sin has a profound impact on the lives of the sinner and those close to the sinner. I'm reminded of why my sin grieves God. I pray I never get callous to the sin in my life and continue to be grieved when I sin against my God. On the other hand, I walked away with more insight into the importance of Christ's sacrifice. In OT times, death was required to pay the penalty for sin. Often it was an animal sacrifice but in other instances, a human life was the cost of sin. I am so very thankful that Christ's death on the cross ended the need for a death penalty. Let that thought marinate - we deserve death but Christ took that penalty. Wow!
Food wise, it wasn't a good week. I didn't eat horribly but couldn't control what was offered for breakfast or lunch. That means it wasn't overly healthy or natural. Hopefully this week (after I get home) will be better. I'm trying to plan ahead for next week when I'm in Minneapolis. Lunches are on my own so I think I'm packing peanut butter and sandwich thins. I'd rather do that than pay for lunch anyway. We'll see what I can figure out before my flight leaves next Sunday.
I think I'm going to close and go read my book. Tomorrow is slated to be a long day so I could use the rest. More next week...
This past week was not overly productive since I spent three days conducting a training. Well, it was productive for the training participants since we taught them a lot of information. But for me, not so productive. Tomorrow I'm training in Albany on a totally different topic but will lose a day of office productivity. Since I have a couple of time-sensitive projects, I'm praying Tuesday-Friday offers some productive time.
Spiritually, I continued reading through II Samuel and the Psalms. I continued to notice the impact of sin on David's life and the lives of people in David's life. I came away with several understandings this week...further emphasis on how sin has a profound impact on the lives of the sinner and those close to the sinner. I'm reminded of why my sin grieves God. I pray I never get callous to the sin in my life and continue to be grieved when I sin against my God. On the other hand, I walked away with more insight into the importance of Christ's sacrifice. In OT times, death was required to pay the penalty for sin. Often it was an animal sacrifice but in other instances, a human life was the cost of sin. I am so very thankful that Christ's death on the cross ended the need for a death penalty. Let that thought marinate - we deserve death but Christ took that penalty. Wow!
Food wise, it wasn't a good week. I didn't eat horribly but couldn't control what was offered for breakfast or lunch. That means it wasn't overly healthy or natural. Hopefully this week (after I get home) will be better. I'm trying to plan ahead for next week when I'm in Minneapolis. Lunches are on my own so I think I'm packing peanut butter and sandwich thins. I'd rather do that than pay for lunch anyway. We'll see what I can figure out before my flight leaves next Sunday.
I think I'm going to close and go read my book. Tomorrow is slated to be a long day so I could use the rest. More next week...
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Week Eighteen in Review
I had a wonderful week this week! I was so amazingly productive at work and then topped it off with a simply marvelous weekend in Birmingham helping a friend prepare to spend nine weeks in West Africa. I am tired but contented this evening. The work week was so productive I was able to take Friday off. I am so thankful God provided the focus and the energy (and only two meetings) to be so productive. This coming week will be busy because I have two trainings back-to-back but I am going into the week prepared so it shouldn't be too bad.
My sweet friend Lisa and I have been walking together in a discipling relationship for the last four or five years. I have seen her grow in SO many ways and grow in her faith and trust in Christ. I had the privilege to go with her on her first mission trip to Southern Arizona and I was honored to be at her commissioning service this morning. She is being obedient to God's call on her life and is willingly going to the middle of nowhere in Africa to serve in some pretty harsh conditions. I know the Kingdom will be influenced because of her and I'm blessed to call her my friend and sister in Christ.
Eating wise I didn't do so hot this week, primarily because of the weekend. I did however, pick up a new exercise DVD that I can use until I can figure out how to get my Wii repaired. It's got several different workouts on it so I won't get bored. After I get back to town after my training this week, I'm hoping to lay out some meal plans so I can grocery shop and be prepared. I need to get back to my routine of eating healthy and exercising.
Scripturally, this week was still focusing on David's reign as king. I think what struck me so much was the extreme consequences of sin, most especially sexual sin. There were several examples this week where sin lead directly to the sinner's death - even so called "minor" sins like touching the ark of the covenant were fatal. To me, this just emphasizes how seriously God takes sin and how sin can affect more than just the sinner (see David and Bathsheba). That sexual sin lead to two deaths (Uriah's and the child Bathsheba conceived with David). While Uriah's death was caused by David and not God's punishment, it is still death caused directly by someone's sin. I think it just shows that God is grieved by sin and as Christ followers we should be too. I've been ruminating on that all week and spending time in prayer over that. Heavy, heavy stuff.
I don't have too much to say and I'm really, really tired from spending time with Lisa (sleep wasn't as important as visiting) and other friends. More next week.
My sweet friend Lisa and I have been walking together in a discipling relationship for the last four or five years. I have seen her grow in SO many ways and grow in her faith and trust in Christ. I had the privilege to go with her on her first mission trip to Southern Arizona and I was honored to be at her commissioning service this morning. She is being obedient to God's call on her life and is willingly going to the middle of nowhere in Africa to serve in some pretty harsh conditions. I know the Kingdom will be influenced because of her and I'm blessed to call her my friend and sister in Christ.
Eating wise I didn't do so hot this week, primarily because of the weekend. I did however, pick up a new exercise DVD that I can use until I can figure out how to get my Wii repaired. It's got several different workouts on it so I won't get bored. After I get back to town after my training this week, I'm hoping to lay out some meal plans so I can grocery shop and be prepared. I need to get back to my routine of eating healthy and exercising.
Scripturally, this week was still focusing on David's reign as king. I think what struck me so much was the extreme consequences of sin, most especially sexual sin. There were several examples this week where sin lead directly to the sinner's death - even so called "minor" sins like touching the ark of the covenant were fatal. To me, this just emphasizes how seriously God takes sin and how sin can affect more than just the sinner (see David and Bathsheba). That sexual sin lead to two deaths (Uriah's and the child Bathsheba conceived with David). While Uriah's death was caused by David and not God's punishment, it is still death caused directly by someone's sin. I think it just shows that God is grieved by sin and as Christ followers we should be too. I've been ruminating on that all week and spending time in prayer over that. Heavy, heavy stuff.
I don't have too much to say and I'm really, really tired from spending time with Lisa (sleep wasn't as important as visiting) and other friends. More next week.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Trauma Plan - A Book Review
Back of the Book: Sidelined by injuries from a vicious assault, chaplain Riley Hale is determined to return to her former duties as an ER nurse. But how can she show she’s competent when the hospital won’t let her attempt even simple tasks? Determined to prove herself, Riley volunteers at a controversial urban free clinic despite her fears about the maverick doctor in charge.
Dr. Jack Travis defends his clinic like he’s commander of the Alamo. He’ll fight the community’s efforts to shut its doors, even if he must use Riley Hale’s influential family name to make it happen.
As Riley strives to regain her skills, Jack finds that she shares his compassion—and stirs his lonely heart. Riley senses that beneath Jack’s rough exterior is a man she can believe in. But when clinic protests escalate and questions surface about his past, Jack goes into battle mode and Riley wonders if it’s dangerous to trust him with her heart.
Synopsis: Trauma Plan centers around Riley Hale, a nurse who is currently serving as and ER chaplain, and Jack Travis, a maverick, rough around the edges ER physician. Riley isn't happy she's sidelined after a vicious assault leaves her without full use of one of her arms. Jack is fighting community activists trying to shut his free community clinic. These two are both thrown together during ER shifts and it isn't exactly love at first sight. Over time, however, both start to drop their defenses and work together. Jack reaches out to Riley, offering her shifts in his clinic to try and help her resurrect her nursing career. As the novel continues, a relationship begins to develop between the two. Jack's not an easy man to love and Riley isn't sure she can fully trust him. So what happens? Read the book to find out. :-)
Review: In the interest of full disclosure, let me say up front that I love Candace Calvert's work and this one was no exception. Just like her other books, I loved Trauma Plan! I appreciate the fact that Calvert's works are usually complex - more than one storyline and not your typical romance. Trauma Plan is no different. There are multiple plot lines (Jack's clinic, relationship between Jack and Riley, Riley's famous family, secrets of minor characters) that keep the story moving at a brisk pace. I also liked the fact that there are social justice needs like poverty, homelessness, and health care needs interspersed throughout the novel. (Hopefully it will make people think about these issues.) If you like a good story with a romance thrown in, this is the book for you. It's also a quick read, I finished it in a day and a half. I will say that you will get sucked into the storyline so plan accordingly. ;-)
Score: 4.5 bookmarks out of 5.
Tyndale House Publishers gave me a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Week Seventeen in Review
One more week down...had writer's block yesterday so I didn't get a post written. May be short today because I'm not sure exactly what to write. I had a typical week - work, teach one night, home. My life is a giant bore right now and quite honestly, I LOVE it! Even if it doesn't make for good blog fodder, I enjoy the down time. I've been able to relax, read, and just chill.
I've been pondering a few things about my Bible reading but I'm still not 100% sure how to write it down yet. I'm reading through the Bible chronologically so right now, it's a mix of Chronicles, 2 Samuel and various Psalms. My thoughts are rambling about God's plan being seen all through history but I haven't yet figured out what I want to say. One thing I have been pondering lately is related to what we've been studying on Sunday mornings at Renovation. Three weeks ago we started a verse-by-verse trip through John. Heavy on the exegesis and I like it. We've only made it through the first 8 verses (at this rate we'll finish about 2020 :-)). The first three verses are such a mind-blowing display of God's greatness that you can get a headache if you think too hard. Chew on this...the eternal (God), became temporal (Jesus) so the temporal (us) could relate to the eternal (God). Wow! Talk about an amazing picture of the Trinity and how it works for our salvation. Then today we focused on John 1:6-8 talking about why John the Baptist was sent - he was the witness for the saving work Jesus would do. Since we've witnessed the light, we should witness the light. We have a responsibility to share the light we've experienced with others. Talk about a heavy responsibility. Easy to say, not so easy to live out!
I am looking forward to this week - not too many meetings (only 2 I know of) and time in my office to get things prepared for the next week. Then on Friday, I get to head to Birmingham to see friends and top it off with a commissioning service for my sweet friend Lisa who leaves for Niger in late May. It's more travel but at least this time there's no work involved. Friday can't get here fast enough!
More next week - probably on Sunday again since I'll be spending time with friends on Saturday instead of blogging. I also have a book review I need to post. Hope to do that tomorrow evening. It's a great book I highly recommend. Can't wait to share my thoughts.
I've been pondering a few things about my Bible reading but I'm still not 100% sure how to write it down yet. I'm reading through the Bible chronologically so right now, it's a mix of Chronicles, 2 Samuel and various Psalms. My thoughts are rambling about God's plan being seen all through history but I haven't yet figured out what I want to say. One thing I have been pondering lately is related to what we've been studying on Sunday mornings at Renovation. Three weeks ago we started a verse-by-verse trip through John. Heavy on the exegesis and I like it. We've only made it through the first 8 verses (at this rate we'll finish about 2020 :-)). The first three verses are such a mind-blowing display of God's greatness that you can get a headache if you think too hard. Chew on this...the eternal (God), became temporal (Jesus) so the temporal (us) could relate to the eternal (God). Wow! Talk about an amazing picture of the Trinity and how it works for our salvation. Then today we focused on John 1:6-8 talking about why John the Baptist was sent - he was the witness for the saving work Jesus would do. Since we've witnessed the light, we should witness the light. We have a responsibility to share the light we've experienced with others. Talk about a heavy responsibility. Easy to say, not so easy to live out!
I am looking forward to this week - not too many meetings (only 2 I know of) and time in my office to get things prepared for the next week. Then on Friday, I get to head to Birmingham to see friends and top it off with a commissioning service for my sweet friend Lisa who leaves for Niger in late May. It's more travel but at least this time there's no work involved. Friday can't get here fast enough!
More next week - probably on Sunday again since I'll be spending time with friends on Saturday instead of blogging. I also have a book review I need to post. Hope to do that tomorrow evening. It's a great book I highly recommend. Can't wait to share my thoughts.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Week Sixteen in Review
I can't believe it's already past the midway point in April. I feel like just yesterday was January. Man, time is flying. It flew so fast I forgot to post over the weekend. I do have a good excuse though. My friend Liz was in from Birmingham and we were having too much fun catching up and enjoying the Dogwood Festival to bother posting on the blog.
Last week was fairly tame. I finished thefirst second fifteenth draft of a curriculum I've been working on practically since I started at the Coalition. Of course, no one else has seen the full thing yet so there may be fifteen more drafts before it's finished. :-) It does feel good having that accomplished though. Now I can focus on the smaller pieces of the project that will accompany the larger curriculum. Yay for productivity!!
In other work related news, I applied for a new job last Monday. My current job knows and is supportive. The project I am working on is funded through a grant that ends the end of November. There is not another grant looming on the horizon that will take its place so I'm at a crossroads. I don't want to mention any specifics yet since I've just applied but it would mean stability for at least 5 years (assuming no crazy budget slashing in Congress), less travel, and slightly more money. While I hate to leave work in the field of violence against women, I have to take care of myself.
Spiritually I was struck by a couple of things last week. First, I absolutely LOVE the schizophrenic nature of the Psalms. I love that I worship and serve a God big enough to handle my mad rantings one minute and my loving adoration the next. Every single person can find something in the Psalms that resonates. I always recommend the Psalms for new believers (and non-Christians too) because they are so honest. If anyone's interested, I have a great 30 day reading plan for the Psalms that my momma shared with me many, many years ago. Great way to ease into daily Bible reading. Read the selected psalms each day and by the end of the month, you have a new habit formed. ;-)
Eating-wise it was a mixed bag. I made healthy choices most of the week but will admit not paying attention to food choices over the weekend. Got back on the healthier bandwagon last night and will attempt to stay on it this week. I realized again while visiting with my friend Liz that for me, eating healthy is a matter of obedience and making poor food choices is a sin - it's just like someone else struggling with obsessive shopping or gossip. I have come to the realization that it isn't about a diet, willpower or even a lifestyle. It's a spiritual battle that must be fought the same way any other battle is fought, with prayer and submission to God's desire for my life. The lower body weight and healthier overall body are bonuses. :-)
You know, I have no idea who reads these posts or if anyone reads them. I do know however that I enjoy writing them and that's what matters. Hopefully something I say will encourage you somewhere along the way. Until next week or my next post...
Last week was fairly tame. I finished the
In other work related news, I applied for a new job last Monday. My current job knows and is supportive. The project I am working on is funded through a grant that ends the end of November. There is not another grant looming on the horizon that will take its place so I'm at a crossroads. I don't want to mention any specifics yet since I've just applied but it would mean stability for at least 5 years (assuming no crazy budget slashing in Congress), less travel, and slightly more money. While I hate to leave work in the field of violence against women, I have to take care of myself.
Spiritually I was struck by a couple of things last week. First, I absolutely LOVE the schizophrenic nature of the Psalms. I love that I worship and serve a God big enough to handle my mad rantings one minute and my loving adoration the next. Every single person can find something in the Psalms that resonates. I always recommend the Psalms for new believers (and non-Christians too) because they are so honest. If anyone's interested, I have a great 30 day reading plan for the Psalms that my momma shared with me many, many years ago. Great way to ease into daily Bible reading. Read the selected psalms each day and by the end of the month, you have a new habit formed. ;-)
Eating-wise it was a mixed bag. I made healthy choices most of the week but will admit not paying attention to food choices over the weekend. Got back on the healthier bandwagon last night and will attempt to stay on it this week. I realized again while visiting with my friend Liz that for me, eating healthy is a matter of obedience and making poor food choices is a sin - it's just like someone else struggling with obsessive shopping or gossip. I have come to the realization that it isn't about a diet, willpower or even a lifestyle. It's a spiritual battle that must be fought the same way any other battle is fought, with prayer and submission to God's desire for my life. The lower body weight and healthier overall body are bonuses. :-)
You know, I have no idea who reads these posts or if anyone reads them. I do know however that I enjoy writing them and that's what matters. Hopefully something I say will encourage you somewhere along the way. Until next week or my next post...
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Week Fifteen in Review
Wow, the end of another busy week. At least this week I had a nice change of scenery and got to visit a state I had previously on been through on a train. And the meetings I went up there for were productive. All round good week in my opinion. :-) Pictures of Rhode Island are at the end.
Spiritually this week I spent a good bit of time dwelling on God as refuge. I've been reading in I Samuel and in Psalms when David is being pursued by Saul (among others) and identified God as his source of help in times of need. The word imagery of the Psalms is absolutely amazing with the number of ways God is described as a refuge - a strong tower, wings for shelter, a mighty fortress, etc. While you can sense the psalmist's fear, you can also sense the feeling of peace experienced by recognizing God's presence. I have been attempting to build that into my day-to-day life lately; really taking to heart the idea that God is my refuge and has already seen the outcome of whatever I am going through. That's an easy thought on the surface for a Christ-follower, it's much, MUCH harder to live out day to day. Fortunately, God is also interested in seeing His children continue to learn and grow so He continues to give us ways/reasons we need to trust Him. If it was all easy, faith wouldn't be necessary now would it?
Of course, food-wise, I didn't do so hot this week. Again, travel makes life difficult. But, when I was in control of what food choices I made, I tried to pick healthy versions most of the time. To my benefit, I am done traveling for 4 weeks so I can focus on eating healthy and hopefully adding in some exercise.
Here are the promised pictures. The first few are from the plane at 30,000 feet. Not Rhode Island but I thought they were cool. They aren't necessarily the most interesting since other than the airport, I was never able to go more than 1.5 miles from my hotel. I will say Providence is a beautiful city and I would love to go back and explore more.
Spiritually this week I spent a good bit of time dwelling on God as refuge. I've been reading in I Samuel and in Psalms when David is being pursued by Saul (among others) and identified God as his source of help in times of need. The word imagery of the Psalms is absolutely amazing with the number of ways God is described as a refuge - a strong tower, wings for shelter, a mighty fortress, etc. While you can sense the psalmist's fear, you can also sense the feeling of peace experienced by recognizing God's presence. I have been attempting to build that into my day-to-day life lately; really taking to heart the idea that God is my refuge and has already seen the outcome of whatever I am going through. That's an easy thought on the surface for a Christ-follower, it's much, MUCH harder to live out day to day. Fortunately, God is also interested in seeing His children continue to learn and grow so He continues to give us ways/reasons we need to trust Him. If it was all easy, faith wouldn't be necessary now would it?
Of course, food-wise, I didn't do so hot this week. Again, travel makes life difficult. But, when I was in control of what food choices I made, I tried to pick healthy versions most of the time. To my benefit, I am done traveling for 4 weeks so I can focus on eating healthy and hopefully adding in some exercise.
Here are the promised pictures. The first few are from the plane at 30,000 feet. Not Rhode Island but I thought they were cool. They aren't necessarily the most interesting since other than the airport, I was never able to go more than 1.5 miles from my hotel. I will say Providence is a beautiful city and I would love to go back and explore more.
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| Interesting body of water - no idea where |
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| Pretty view of horizon |
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| Pretty clouds |
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| Looks almost like a pillow |
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| View from the hotel - love the homes in the background |
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| Grilled portabello caps with crab meat between layers - YUM! |
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| Downtown Providence at night |
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| MLK Bridge - Providence |
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| Rhode Island State House |
Again, a crazy busy week but productive and I like that. I will enjoy time without travel since I have a lot of work to do in the office and of course lots of meetings. Hoping and praying for productivity in the office. I am also looking forward to having friends coming from Birmingham next weekend and the first weekend in May. Yay for friends' visits. More next week.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Week Fourteen in Review
Wow, this was a busy but productive week. If nothing else, I got both book reviews blogged! That in and of itself is amazing. Fortunately, I was also very productive at work. I presented four trainings and managed to squeeze in finishing a project I've been working on for three months. Of course there are still edits to be done but the bulk of the work is completed on the project. Woo-hoo, praise the Lord for productivity at work! Hopefully I can squeeze in some productivity this week. It may be kind of hard since I spend half of tomorrow's workday traveling to Providence, RI and then Tuesday through Thursday in day-long meetings on a national project. But, after that, I am done with travel for almost a month. Since most of March and into April has been here a week, gone a week, here a week, gone a week, I'm ready for the break. I think Booger the cat is ready for the break as well. She stalked off when I got the suitcase out of the closet this evening.
Spiritually this week I've been focusing on Easter and what it means to me as a Christ-follower. I don't have any new revelations to share but thinking about Easter while reading about Israelite disobedience and the misdeeds of the kings made me more and more thankful for Christ's saving work on the cross. Then to have two great worship services at Renovation Church today just made my week. I realized on Friday (while watching tweets about Secret Church) that I don't necessarily miss Brook Hills anymore as a church. I miss the camaraderie I had with my co-workers and friends while working big events like Secret Church and Easter but that I am "home" at Renovation. If you've been on this journey with me over the last almost two years, you know that's HUGE. I love my faith family and the work God is allowing us to do in this city. ATL WILL see racial reconciliation and it WILL be through the gospel of Jesus Christ!
Okay, I'm keeping this kind of short this week. I still have a few things to do before bed and I have to head out early in the morning. Next week's post will hopefully have thoughts and maybe even pictures of Providence. Til next time...
Spiritually this week I've been focusing on Easter and what it means to me as a Christ-follower. I don't have any new revelations to share but thinking about Easter while reading about Israelite disobedience and the misdeeds of the kings made me more and more thankful for Christ's saving work on the cross. Then to have two great worship services at Renovation Church today just made my week. I realized on Friday (while watching tweets about Secret Church) that I don't necessarily miss Brook Hills anymore as a church. I miss the camaraderie I had with my co-workers and friends while working big events like Secret Church and Easter but that I am "home" at Renovation. If you've been on this journey with me over the last almost two years, you know that's HUGE. I love my faith family and the work God is allowing us to do in this city. ATL WILL see racial reconciliation and it WILL be through the gospel of Jesus Christ!
Okay, I'm keeping this kind of short this week. I still have a few things to do before bed and I have to head out early in the morning. Next week's post will hopefully have thoughts and maybe even pictures of Providence. Til next time...
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