Sometimes work is really grand!

I had a really cool thing happen today at work. I picked up a patient from another nurse (not an uncommon thing to happen) and she told me that he was concerned about being able to go to church on Sunday (he'd had to go home with a catheter in place). Of course that caught my attention right off. I went in to introduce myself as his new nurse, who would be the one to send him very shortly. He thanked me and asked if he would be able to get to church on Sunday because he teaches Sunday School. We got into a conversation after I answered his question, and he asked where I went to church, so I explained that we are a new plant and the "little sister" of First Assembly of God, that I am pentecostal. He looked at me for a minute, then said, "That means you speak in Tongues, doesn't it?" I got a big grin on my face, and said, "Yes Sir, it does!" He looked at me a minute more, then said, "We don't tell too many people, but we're 'Bapticostals.'" Well, now don't you just know that just set off a whole conversation about a lot of things. The result was that he and his wife felt that I had walked where the Lord was prompting them to walk. I told him that the Lord doesn't make mistakes and He planned this conversation a long time ago. Maybe I was put in place to provide some encouragement for them. It was so good...the Lord is just too much sometimes. I could just see Him sitting on His throne, grinning ear-to-ear as He watched three of His Kids become acquainted. Turns out this man was one of the original leaders of the FGBMFI in San Angelo. Ain't God good?!

Musings

We are again a 2 car family. L got his back today. I have to say that it is a relief to know he is not stuck at the house while I am away at work all day. I did feel bad for him. For those of you who saw me tooling around in a red Calibre for the last couple of days, my car went to Dallas with L for an appointment on Wednesday. So I got the rental. It was ok to drive, but I wouldn't buy one. (Thanks to one certain friend who offered the use of their other vehicle, but the rental was already in the works.)

I have been studying about Israel and Judah during the kingdom period with CBS this semester, and have been looking really hard at the (way too many) parallels between them and the US. I don't think we have learned much over the last 4500-5000 years. Do we really think that we can do the sort of things that go on in this nation without inviting God's judgement? The Lord has lead me to a passage in Neh 1:5,6 (among others) as a way to pray for our country. I think we need to become more aggresive about the manner and time of prayer for repentance nationwide.

A friend of mine at work said something this evening that kind of fits right into this thought process. She said, "I have begun to think that we are just as much slaves as the blacks were, or the Israelites were in Egypt. We are slaves to our jobs, our employers. We are not free!" To which I said a hearty, "Amen." I don't know what it will take to bring us back to better mores, but it really needs to happen. Money is a vicious god. It is neat that we have opportunity to talk about things of the Lord with each other occasionally.

My friend that stayed with me over part of the summer so she could work at the hospital without traveling back and forth to Big Lake every day turned in her resignation notice 2 weeks ago. Tonight was her last night. I spent a little time talking with her about the next phase in her life. She is a beautiful friend and a wonderful Christian, and I have enjoyed being able to just drop in and say hi, or visit, or pray right there in her office. I will truly miss that. I'm feeling a bit orphaned right now.

On Monday I get to be a patient on the unit where I work. It's just a day-surgery procedure, and I should be back to work on Tuesday. I haven't decided quite how I feel about being a patient and having the people I normally work with work on me. Should be interesting. The last time I was there was just over a year ago, and I didn't know any of them yet. That was just a screening colonoscopy. This is surgery, albeit a minor one. So any prayers the Lord might prompt you to pray would be gratefully accepted.

Ok, I think I have run down for tonight. Today was a wild ride at work, and I am now coming down off the adrenaline surge that has kept me moving at full speed all day. It is time to find my bed, since I have to be back at work at 0930, ready for another round. I am so glad it's Friday! I am looking forward to Sunday, because PM is back, and I can't wait to see what kind of fire the Lord lit under him during his adventure in China. I just bet its a doozy! Good night.

The Saga of the Uncooperative Car

Well, my dh found out that I am not crazy and I am not just some female who doesn't know anything about things mechanical. He took the car (HIS car) in to get an oil change on Monday, and ended up having to have the thing towed to a service center because he couldn't get the key to turn the lock. In his favor, I do have to note that the last one to have the vehicle running was the service tech at the oil change place. When he got in to start it, it refused. So he waited for me to get off work to take him home. The wrecker driver was nice enough to drop him off at the hospital, so he was there when I was done. Yesterday, the service center called to tell him it was indeed the switch, and they couldn't repair it here. They have to remove it and send it back to Volvo, along with the key for repair and rekeying. Their estimate was a 7-10 day wait. Oh joy. I was never really crazy about Volvo. My estimation of their product has not improved. This car is only 4 years old. I'll keep my Sonata.

God Is So GOOD!

I haven't written anything for awhile because it has pretty much been the same ole same ole, but tonight I had the honor and priviledge of preaching/teaching for evening service. I was actually slated to take Wednesday the 27th, but due to the illness of the man who was to take tonight's service, we played swap. That didn't give much time for getting things together, although I already knew what my topic was to be (that's a good thing, it let God do the talking instead of Jan.) That was neat enough, but we had a prayer time at the end of service, and several were prayed for by the entire body (I love that!) and someone also rededicated their life to the Lord! I'm singin', I'm shoutin' I'm dancin'! I love it when the Lord lets me in on His miracles!

L had a birthday yesterday, and we spent the day just messing around together. He says he's quit having birthdays, and he is now officially "old." Yeah, right. I hope I look that good when I get to 61! People already think I'm older than he is! (It's the hair.) He has me beat by 5 years! Am I complaining? Nah, I like my hair just like it is, and wouldn't go back to just being plain old brown. It's kinda neat having people think I robbed the cradle!

Everlasting Day

Well, January has come and gone, and with it so have chemo class, a birthday and vacation. I go back to work today. I have enjoyed having the time off. It truly was vacation. I didn't go anywhere, so I didn't have to worry about getting there, getting back and strange surroundings. My house is clean. I am nearly over the cold (or something) that hit last Sunday. It's pretty bad when your own mother doesn't recognize you on the phone. Mom said, when I told her (3 times) who I was, "My daughter Jan?!?" Suffice it to say I didn't have a voice. But God is faithful, and yesterday I was allowed the privelege of leading worship at church with my voice.

February is here, and that means that spring is just around the corner. The sun is staying longer (yeah!). It was still twilight last night at 6:30, and the temp was in the upper 70's. I've gotten to where I really don't like the dark time. Residual from living in Iceland for 2 1/2 years, I think.

I remember when I first got saved and thought about going to heaven someday where there would be no night. I thought, "How sad" because I always liked to watch the stars. They were so beautiful, thrown out like diamonds on black velvet. (I grew up way out in the country, can you tell?) But as I've gotten older, the night doesn't hold the same mystery that it did. I now find myself longing for June, and lots of daytime. I think that not having night will not be a bad thing at all. Jesus said we have no idea of the things He has in store for us there. I can't imagine no night, but I think I'm ready to find out. Ready to go forward into whatever He has in store, here and there, because it is always good--no matter what.