Where Was I...

It has been a few days since I have had the opportunity to post. I certainly do not want to mess up now and be stripped of my trophy (NARR Most Improved). It seems that I came back from the brink of death. I worked Friday night as usual. I went in 4 hours unusually early at 7 pm. I worked ferociously to stay caught up. I was really quite busy. In 5 hours I averaged 4 patients per hour. That is pretty busy. Some patients are on the table longer than that. As soon as one was off another was ready to go on. It was back to back. In the next 8 hours I did the same number for a total of 41 procedures. That is a lot for one person. The time passed very quickly though. I ended up staying over the next day to help finish a chest tube placement. I worked 16 hours, 45 minutes. What a day that was. I was ready to go to bed for sure. I still managed to drive by a yard sale on the way home. I drive by and if I see something I am interested in I stop. If I don't I keep on trucking. Saturday, I kept on trucking.

The complete and utter chaos of Friday-Saturday was completely dispelled on Saturday-Sunday. I scanned a grand total of 3 patients. Only three!!!!! I studied my Bible for hours. I prayed with the CT table as an altar. It was a wonderful night. I learned so much about the transfiguration. I had no extra reference books so it was all from the Holy Ghost. He really will show us the deep things of God. I immensely enjoyed my time alone with the Lord. It was so wonderful. I was hand writing all of these notes and could scarcely keep myself caught up. I was bouncing off the walls when everyone got there the next morning. Speaking of bouncing off the walls. There is a sliding glass door that goes to the back of our department. Our lockers are back there and some equipment. It is really cold back there so I closed the glass door. When my co-worker, Sunie, came in she failed to notice the door was closed. I think you may have seen the Windex commercial. She walked face first into it. BAMM!!! The sad thing is I missed the whole thing. I turned out to be a good weekend, make that a great weekend!

Mushu has been his normal rotten self. Yesterday right before I left for work, we wrestled a bit. he appartently won judging by the big bleeding scratch on my hand. We use alcohol hand cleaners at work. I was reminded of Mushu with every application. Somehow when you come home and there he is purring you just melt and pick him up. Awe! Ain't he cute! (Little imp).

What Title Have I Not Used...

I tried to put a title on this but realized i have already used that one. I don't want to be redundant. I would hate to offend my one and only faithful reader, Sister Smith. Augh! Thank you so much for making the trivial moments of my life seem like interesting material. How kind.

The chronicles of Mushu continues. The cat was so bad last night. He went outside and I could not get him back in. I closed the garage door down and pretended to abandon him. I thought when I put that door up he would be there scared to death that I had deserted him...NAH!!!! I don't no where the little beast was. I went out and called and called. Finally about when i determined he was going to camp out last night, he comes up like nothing ever happened. I was mad at the little feline, but not furious. I was going to pick him up and put him back in the garage. He ran from me again. I was getting furious at this point. I don't know how people with real children ever do it. He ran under the car. I took my flip flop off and threw it at him. Does that sound like sanctified behaviour? Don't tell me you parents never threw a shoe at your kids or at least thought about it. Those Smith kids, the youngest especially, probably needed a shoe tossed at them with love. Can you throw a shoe with love? Anyway, I looked under the car and there he was just looking at me like I was a dummy. So I retrieved my shoe and threw it again. My intention was not rage but rather to force him out of his hiding spot. He is such an impish little beast at times. I hope there are no PETA supporters reading this. If there are, I eat chicken, too! That is what I think about that. Finally, after the last throw of the flip flop, the cat chases it into the garage. I go in behind him. He realizes he is in for it and tries to get back outside. I was getting even worse at that point. He was just making this situation worse and worse. I blocked him in more than one direction, he tried to get around me still. I reached to put the door down with the keypad the whole time playing defense. As soon as my furry friend was imprisoned safely in the garage, I changed my game plan to offense. I was not intending to spare the rod or the flip flop as the case may be. He ran from me all over that place. I never did get to properly discipline him. I had fed him, after that I covered it over. I refuse to reward bad behavior. He had already had his allotment for the day anyway. What a bad child! This is precisely why I do not have kids. They would act up and I would just find whatever was handy or footy and whack them.

Mama did us that way. At times it was whatever she could find. I was disciplined by a big stick on the side of the road. My older brother received the handle end of a fish net. My youngest brother met a piece of PVC pipe. We needed it. They probably did worse than me (in many instances still do). Actually lick for lick, I probably got the most. I was always in trouble. It must have worked its way out of my system or the miraculous work of sanctification eradicated that nature. I lean more toward the second.

I need a kitty discipline class. This little monster is about to get it. Most of the time he is really good, even when he is biting until he leaves marks. That does not bother me. When he refused to listen to me or even respond, I can't handle it. He is very hard headed. Any suggestions?

Catching Up...

I certainly do not want to break my blogging habit although it seems like so many have broken theirs. Ahem! Anyway, let me see here. What shall I blog? This past weekend was a much better one. There were not nearly as many disastrous moments. I worked as usual. The first night was very calm, the next a little busier. The weekend as a whole was not bad though.

Children's Church went well. We are making "Glad Bags." It is a ziplock (Glad) bag with different colored index cards with things on each card that make us glad. We are cutting out the letters from magazines to spell out the words. I was then in charge of Sunday Night service. the bad thing was I woke up at 4 pm extremely nauseated and otherwise sick. I felt some better at Church. But as I was about to take the stage, I was very, very ill. I thought I was going to toss my cookies. (I know, isn't this a great blog topic. At least I did not mention the diarrhea I experienced. I can't believe I just did that. Yes, I can.) We started singing some praise choruses. He Hath Made Me Glad and then He Is Lord. The more I focused on the solution, the problem minimized before my very eyes. God is so good. It just so happened that my message was along the same lines.

We consider David as a great king, powerful in battle, even as a child he slew a lion, bear and giant. In all of that he never exalted himself. It is evident in the Psalms he penned that he gave God the credit He was due. David often mentioned his problems and enemies setting traps. David realized his insufficiency while at the same time saw the sufficiency of God. This mighty man more often portrayed himself as helpless without the power of the the Lord. When the ark of the covenant was returning to the city of David, he appeared as less than royal to his wife. David told her he would be more vile than that. In other words he would abase himself before God. He realized he was nothing without Him.

I never want to get caught up thinking I am sufficient. I need the help of almighty God. I cannot do it on my own. I certainly could not have on Sunday night. Thank the Lord for His help in my time of distress. Thank Him for his presence at all times. In the 70th Psalm, David wrote, "...let such as love salvation say continually; God be magnified."

Camp Pictures

I am doing these one at a time because I am having trouble getting them uploaded. Here is the little girl that sought for the Holy Ghost so long. With her is our Jr Camp Director, Sis Valerie Riley who is also my VLB coordinator at Jonesboro. She is so great with kids. I turned my flash off so it was not a distraction. So, there is a little motion. I like it though. It lets you know just how much her hands were jerking. It was absolutely precious, a moment I would not trade for anything.

Camp Pictures

Here is little Hannah Furlong. She is so earnest in the altar. She prayed with all she had. Then she prayed with others. She seems like a very good little girl.

Camp Pictures

This picture is the great "Snot-rag Race." Yes, it was my doing. The snot-rags (tissues) started on one side of the building. Everyone had to stand up, salute pass and sit down. It was hilarious. Bro Darren Dixon looks like a ghostly blur. He was really moving

Camp Update

We had a wonderful Jr Camp. There were 12 saved, 13 sanctified and 3 filled with the Holy Ghost. I know one little girl was for sure. She has sought for Holy Ghost baptism for three years at camp. Not just a little bit either. We left Monday night at 11 pm and she was still praying. Everyone else had been ushered downstairs. These kids start getting rowdy if not occupied. The last evening service (Tuesday) she came once again to the altar and sough the Lord just as hard. She cried and hollered (Southern term in case you were wondering) and jerked. There was about 5 staff members and one camper still left wither her. At around 9:30 pm that little one finally yielded to the most glorious sounding tongue. It was so beautiful. I still well up just thinking about it. She was determined. How determined are we sometimes? What a lesson that little girl taught me. Often we may pray a bit and decide that it must not be the will of the Lord. I want to hold on like that little girl. Here is an excerpt from a poem I read:

So down he fell and with him hope--

He couldn't win it now--

Embarrassed, sad, he only wished

To disappear somehow.

But as he fell his dad stood up

And showed his anxious face,

Which to the boy so clearly said:

"Get up and win the race!"

He quickly rose, no damage done-

Behind a bit, that's all-

And ran with all his mind and might

To make up for his fall.

My heavenly Father is looking on, saying, "Get up and win this race!" I feel heavenly encouragement today! Praise the Lord!

Camping Out...

I am the evangelist at Jr Camp this year which started yesterday. I struggled for a message for these kids and seemed rather empty handed. When I feel like I have nothing is often the times that God really does a work. I have known about this for some time but there is so much that I have been preparing for. I have to get one thing out of the way then move on. So, struggled and struggled and struggled. Then I came across an old skit I had found. I adapted it and had Jr Camp's Got Talent. Different members of the staff came up and "performed." It was very interesting. Some said they were there because their moms made them or other reasons. r they thought they were very talented or very pretty. They got sent home. The contestants who did not feel they had a talent were the ones who went on. Then I read from Jeremiah chapter 9, the what to's and what not's of glorying. I told the story of me as a timid young child who was afraid to move when God asked me to move. I felt conviction in my heart at the age of 7-8 years old. I was too scared. I sat back while other came. Then every head bowed, every eye closed. I asked with a show of hands who wanted to have Jesus in their hearts. There were hands. I asked them to come. We went through sanctification and Holy Ghost baptism with show of hands. Then everyone else, just so that those bashful ones had the opportunity too. We were in the altar until 10:30 pm o later. There was one girl still there when we left. I don't know the number but so many of those kids we really seeking the Lord. It was amazing.

Let me tell why we had to leave. I knew that we were dangerously low on gas and the camp is in the middle of nowhere. Tabithia took my car Sunday to go to the beauty shop. She took my keys as well. She had to do to the Dr with her grandmother so she left around 1:30 pm so they could eat first. Shortly after she left I needed to go somewhere, but I could not find my keys. That is because they were in her purse. I was stranded at my own house. I did not get in the car until it was time to leave. We were almost there when I looked at the gauge. We barley had anything. The gas light should have come on at any second. God stayed the gas hand. We made it to camp and back to Jonesboro on a fraction of a tank. Thank God. Tonight is the last nigh o service for the Jr's. I pray God has His way again.

Nearly Disasterous...

As noted in my previous post, last weekend was our Regional Convention. It went well on Friday night. The boosts were going well, Bro Carter gave an excellent message. I had o leave right about he time for the altar call. Let me just tell you why. You knew I was going to anyway. I worked so hard to get all of my props and program ready and packed into the car. I had to leave the convention and go to work. I would be there all night. So I had to make sure that i had all of the things I needed for the next day. I had a change of clothes and all the essentials to take a shower the next morning. I had everything ready. While sitting in the convention I realized that I did not. I had forgotten my scrubs and my work shoes. I could not wear the hard soled shoes I had on, besides they would not match my scrubs at all. What scrubs. I leave the convention a little earlier than what I planned so that I could go to Wal-Mart and get a pair of shoes to work in. While I am doing that Tabithia is getting gas. I grabbed just a few food items to eat during the night on my way to the register. Off to Jonesboro we go. I get to the hospital in just enough time to go down stairs to surgery to borrow a pair of scrubs. Clocked in and worked my 12 hours.

That time passed rather well. It always does when you are busy. I did have a little time to look over my boost again at the beginning of the shift. That was all of the time I had. I realized I left my peanut butter I bought in the car. So when I got the chance to eat it was just a bread sandwich. Ummmmm. It was really good bread though. The time came for me to make my exit. I go down to surgery, take a shower, get all ready. I had everything I needed. I am all ready except my clothes which are hanging in the car. By this time it is 11:30 am. I started looking for my keys. Where oh where are my keys? At moments the panic of the situation begins to overcome me. What am I going to do? I needed to be on the road like then. I had extra time allowed because my props had to be assembled. I could not travel with them together. After a long period of looking everywhere again and again (even the stupid places where you know you would never put your keys of anything else). I called Tabithia again and she was making arrangements to get a spare key to me. She was booked and could not come. Finally she found someone to bring them, but they were eating. They had to finish first. Finally my key arrived at 1pm. I was on program at 1:45. It takes about that long to get there, change clothes, and make it back stage. Believe me i know. By the time I am trying to get my last minute preps done, remember my props are not together, I was being beckoned to the stage. Bro Smith said, "Bro Jason are you ready?" What kind of a question was that? No, I was not ready. I had to cut quite a bit out. God taught me a very important lesson. Maybe lessons...One...trust Him. He will get you there on time even if it was your own stupidity (by the way my keys were found in the back seat of the car. I had so much to carry in that night, I must have sat them down.). Two...Cut the pageantry and preach the word. Three...Just because I think I have it all together does not mean I have it all together. Four...Make a checklist days before while still clear headed. Then I will know everything is done.

That was Saturday. I went home to rest after that. I got my things for Sunday and that all went better except that I grabbed black socks instead of blue. Sunday at a convention is kind of a dreaded day. most people are ready to hear appointments by that time. They really don't care what else you have to say. I might be exaggerating of speaking of myself (surely not me). Well, that afternoon (no one had eaten or anything) appointments are made. No I am not pastoring for those wondering. I have had another Regional Coordinator change. I am now working back in Sunday School. It was a good convention what parts I was able to attend. It seemed that everyone mentioned getting along with one another. You would think we would have mastered that by now. Hmmm. It really is not the big things like smoking, drinking, swearing that are apt to take us down. But our adversary does sneak in Eden style to twist and turn small things into big deals. Christ said that love was an identifying mark of the Church. The devil would like nothing more than to steal that identity from us. That is our biggest fight. God help us all.

But A Short Time To Work...

Our regional Convention is just hours away. I need to get my boost finished. I know I mentioned blaming God for our craziness in an earlier comment. But the Lord has given me much to cover in 10 minutes. That seems an impossibility. I just wanted to post here while i can. It will be busy for a few days with convention, work, camp. So I will try to get in here when I can.

I have worked on a project for a few weeks now and I finished phase 1 yesterday. I have successfully stretched my faux stone pathway from the driveway to the back porch. It is faux stone because it is recycled concrete from a man down the street. he does concrete work. There was a mountain of broken concrete in his yard that I had wanted to stop in and ask if I could have. I never did, but one day he had it loaded in a truck to take to the dump. I turned that car around and asked him to dump that in my yard. It has been there for over a year. Finally I have begun to work it in. I tried to make a patio last year and that did not work out. I like the sidewalk much better. I have to go to the other side and do the same thing from the porch to the pool. Then the mound of dirt in my back yard can be put where it needs to be. I am really pleased with this. The best part is all I have in it is sweat equity. That is no freebie but at least it has not hurt the pocket.

Thankful...

It seems that we go through life thinking that the things we face are impossible. I now know that is not so. Last night at Church, I sang the song, "The Anchor Holds." I later testified how steadfast, immovable Christ is. He is the leaning place, the anchor, deliverer, shield...No matter what we have faced in our lives, He is more than sufficient. He is superfluous. We have all been through things in our lives that really tested that. We learned about grace and faith and are still learning.

Well, the brother in charge of the service began to tell his story. Al that he had faced in his life. His title was "Getting Past Your Past." He told the story of Joseph and how he was his OT hero. He went through so much at the hands of his own family and yet was merciful toward them later. He was used as an instrument of God to save His covenant people. The brother's story was unfathomable. He was subjected to all forms of abuse beginning at age seven. "Rescued" by DHS only to be passed around from family member to family member where he only suffered more abuse. One year after coming back from basic training he felt impressed to go to Church camp. He had to quit his job just in order to be there. Once there he went through each service and nothing happened. Until the next to the last night, the Lord prompted him to tell his story. The nature of some of the abuse was so hard to talk about that he was reluctant especially in front of the young crowd that was there. He refused to do it. The Lord dealt with him all night long until the next day he told his counselor that he wanted to testify. That night he told all the details of his story. The altar filled with those who thought they were the only ones who had faced such abuses. Some of the campers had held things in even from their parents. Suddenly there was a moment of relief.

I thank God for the mercies He has shown in my life. I for the most part have had a good life with few scars to haunt me. I just thought during all of that, this man forgave and overcame that. How small are the things, mostly trivial, that stand between people today! We really must get past our pasts. I have endured nothing like this brother. O' may mercy and grace be just as superfluous from me.

More Babies At 16750 N Ozark...

Yes I am back from the most horrible work weekend I have had. I was so tired. In fact, I still feel quite drained from the chaos. I scanned patients nonstop all night long. Many of these were the baser sorts of people. They were the drunk, the od'd, the inmates of society. Augh!!! Enough was enough.

Tabithia mowed the yard Sunday in my hour of rest. She mentioned seeing some baby rabbits at the south end of the house. I was out with the dogs on Monday for a little while, all of us getting our exercise. I can actually out-do the lazy dogs. They end up lagging behind. It is so hot though. Well, I had my camera and noticed that there was a gold finch perched on the sunflowers. i just had to try to snap a picture. So I took a picture, moved in closer, took another. I was so focused on the bird that I was not paying much attention to what the dogs were doing on the "south side of the house." I turn and catch a glimpse of the master hunter lab of mine, Carlie (see slide show on previous post). She was intent on getting something next to the house. She raises her head from the flowers/grass/weeds and has a little brown bunny in her mouth. I yelled her name (she just happens to be yell trained very well) She dropped what she was doing. The little brown bunny falls to the ground motionless. I picked it up and sat it (or tossed it lightly) back in its shelter. I got the dogs out of there quickly and repenned them. I went back to check the bunny snack. It was already gone. I had seen one hopping around after that. I trust it lived to hop again. It really was a hoppy ending.

It has been an honor to be home to all of God's creation this year. I have a butterfly cocoon I am keeping watch on too. It is just a regular Wild America at my house. I loved that show.

Empty Nest Syndrome...

Well, as of last Tuesday the bird nest was empty. I wish I could say it went well for all of them. Hopefully some of them. I know at least one possibly two did not. Let me just say that Mushu was not responsible. Besides he drags all of his prey back to the garage. the other day I threw out a piece of pizza, the really big slices that the people were too lazy to cut small enough that it would actually fit in your mouth. I knew the dogs were about to get out and they love to find a treat, kind of like Easter eggs. Well, I went back around the corner later and Mushu who was about the size of the enormous slice of pizza had dragged it back tot he house and eaten much of it. What a piggy!

I have to get get my Dad's birthday present here in a little bit. His birthday is tomorrow. I always have to call my Mom to ask her when it is. I cannot remember the day. I know it is shortly after the 4th. He is so hard to buy for. For Father's Day we got him a care package stuffed full of goodies. He has been through much of that but I do not want to make him any fatter. He wants a new wallet so I may check into that. I am the same way. I am hard to buy for. I have everything I need and most of what I want. We sure go crazy trying to buy for folks that don't need anything. Think of all of the money that is wasted each year on something that is of no use to the giftee. I am starting a nationwide campaign today for SENSIBLE GIFTING! I just have to come up with a catchy name. Far too many are asking for bread and receiving stones, asking for fish and receiving scorpions. Something must be done. Society must be saved from bad gifts. National Association for Gifting Smartly (NAGS). I like it. Please do your part to gift smart today and everyday!

Another Page in the Mushu Chronicles

I do not have a picture for this one so I will have to paint one with words. Have you ever watched those old ladies on public television? They can really paint. They just start smearing stuff around and before you know it there is a work of art right before you. Okay, I will begin to smear.

I had to work yesterday on call for 12 hours. I went to the hospital at 11 am and was there for 2 hours before I had nothing to do. Then Tabithia and i ran all over Jonesboro shopping like we had money or something. Well, I finally went back at right around 4 pm. I was there the remainder of the night. No one blew themselves up with pyrotechnics or anything, or at least that I had to deal with in CT. I did have one guy that said he was, "Rocking out too hard." He feel and hit his head. He really was a head banger, lol. People are so crazy. Others had had problems for over a week that were non emergent, yet I am stuck spending my holiday 9getting paid very well to do it) dealing with them. I have grown out of the firework thing anyway.

I am supposed to be talking about Mushu. While we were out shopping we found a very nice suit for me at Kohl's. They did not have my size so they said we could find it online. Tabithia had gone across town last night to do that cause we are too cheap to have internet at our house. When she came home, right before I made it, she was on the phone with me. She said there were all kinds of animals in the yard. Rabbits and unknown creatures and an armadillo. She said the the armadillo was not the least bit frightened by her but of course she was of it. So she did not know what to do. The thing went underneath her truck and she was afraid to move. She got that situation under control and made it to the driveway. She opened the garage door and Mushu, the current resident (there have been so many animals kept in out garage, you can park your car or your horse). He ran out of that garage like a ex con from jail and stopped dead in his track waving his tail in the air in rhythmic motions in an agitated way. He knew the armored beast was just beyond the darkness somewhere. He could sense him, smell him. Tabithia manages to get some lights on to further investigate the situation. She had as much curiosity as the cat. All of a sudden as a ferocious lion, Mushu runs from the garage in killer attack cat form in a direct path toward the armadillo. His blood thirsty appearance...fizzled out as he could not figure out what in the world this beast was and where he could strike a fatal blow. That all changed just a few moments later when for some reason he tucked tail and ran back to the garage like a defeated army.

Cats are like people in some ways. Some are so quick to jump in without all or any of the facts. Once they get mixed up in something that seems over their heads they run home and try to paint the armadillo as the aggressor. You can really learn a lot from observation. What lessons do I teach those watching me?

Don't Want To Break the Habit...

Far be it for me to break this blogging roll that I am on. Wouldn't you know it though it seems I have so very little to blog about today. I am off today but tomorrow I have to work 12 hours. It seems that people get sick even on holidays. It is safe to say that there will be no brilliant post from me tomorrow. That being said I am under such an obligation to make this a brilliant post. I suppose I could change the color of the font. That would be brilliant. I fear not enough. I am pouring back over my mental archives of the last few days and there just is not much material there. It is not the fault of the archives for all of those smarty pants out there who will post your cute little insulting comments. Poor me.

I have agreed to be the evangelist for Jr Camp this year. I was greatly inspired by the pile of CD's from the Western states' camp. Joshua formed a monument under the direction of God. It was an example of what they were delived from. I am asking the staff to bring an item that serves the same perpose for the pile.

Before that is our regional convention. I dreamed last night that I was on my way and did not have my prop done. I was a nervous wreck. I knew what it was going to be about and now it seems that it is changing somewhat. Same elements just a little different. It is a lot to accomplish in 10 minutes. Our program is so packed this year. The region is still somewhat divided with two different staffs. So time is short as each coordinator has their time on program. I hope at this convention we become offically "married" and the two staffs become one. I would gladly allow my office to be filled by another. I have so much to do over the next couple of weeks. I keep you "posted"on my progress.