I want to read/am reading too many books right now. And instead of going book by book, I'm reading them all at once. Which means I'll read a chapter or two out of each and won't finish single one. Should I switch strategies? Yes. Will I? Probably not. In fact, I'm embarrased to admit how long I've been "reading" these books for...here are a few
Miracles at Tenwek by David Stevens
Preach and Heal by Charles Fielding
Mere Christianity by CS Lewis
How Doctors Think by Jerome Groopman
My heart feels like it's being pulled in every direction. Not in an anxious way. But more of an excited, Christmas morning feeling kind of way. Not just in a book sorta way, but in a I big picture what am I gonna be when I grow up kinda way.
This weekend I spent some time in Louisville, KY for the Global Missions Health Conference. I wish you could have been there to hear Charles Fielding speak. Have you ever heard him? He's with his family over (literally all over) the 1040 window. His sense of urgency for sharing the Gospel is contagious. The 1040 window is a term missionary Luis Bush used to describe area between 10 nad 40 degress north of the equater. An area with the most socioeconomic difficulty and least access to any Christian resources....a church, a disciple, a Bible, etc.
I wish you could have been there. I tried explaining the weekend to people who weren't there. It's impossible. I got off the phone with my parents last night and felt like after an hour and a half I still hadn't really conveyed the conviction, passion or excitement I felt.
Today is one of those dreary days. A tomato and grilled cheese sort of day.
It's days like today that remind me of how thankful I am to be in medical school. There is so much freedom in being a student. You make your own schedule! Unfortunately, it's about to come to an end, so I'm gonna soak up every minute of it. You see, you can't make grilled cheese and tomato soup very easily if you have to pack a lunch. And this morning, I'm "working from home" which gives me the stove, pot and pan I need to simply enjoy every moment with my grilled cheese and tomato soup.
Also, in the last couple of days I've realized that I don't think any other medical school could have provided me with the joy I have here. I realize this is all I have to compare it to, but I don't care, I'm still going to believe that. Last night at CMA we had a worship night where we just poured our hearts out in praise. I forget how unique it is to have such a great cloud of witnesses surround you with such consistency on a daily basis. It reminded me of the Bible study we had sophomore year in college where we sang the song Sanctuary together. There is something powerful in community worship. This is why I believe coming to MSU, being in this particular class of students, and meeting every single person I've met is not a mistake. It's so much easier to empty yourself for the glory of God when you can constantly be refilled again. Go figure, right?
Bre shared Romans 8 last night. This week has been a strong reminder that we must fight the temptaion to stop running towards God. The distractions are endless. I pray these words from God penetrate and rejuvenate your heart and mind like they have mine.
Romans 8:16-39. In video and in words. Whatever floats your boat.
16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that[h] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. 26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[i] have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
More Than Conquerors
31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”[j] 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
It's been such a good week, and I think it's because I heard this song on the radio on my way to take an exam Monday morning. Or it could be because:
1. Studying the gastrointestinal system (fire hydrant style) is over
2. We carved pumpkins Monday night and then I got to hang with Bre and Alex
3. I made more pumpkin muffins
4. I hosted a dinner party for some of the best girls in the world on Tuesday evening
5. Got to get on my bike with Allison on a gorgeous Wednesday fall morning
6. Laughed with Nana and Katie over lunch as we talked about how Nana got lost and ended up in Hell (...Hell, MI) and discussed her next salon appointment which will include highlights!
7. Played my guitar some more this week...after a short guitar hiatus
8. Enjoyed a cheap burrito with Erin and Lindsay...man I love talking to those girls
9. I'm getting prepared to head to Louisville next week for that Global Missions Health Conference...I'm so excited!
10. I'm about to have a productive day...I can feel it...
11. I'm going to Dr. Stringer's house for dinner on Friday after spending the day doing real doctor things in Coldwater
12. I don't have a Monday exam this coming week
13. It's fall back and we get an extra hour on Sunday!
...ok, I'm cutting myself off. But praise God for an awesome week.
They seem to be everywhere! Which is totally awesome.
Don't these guys just make you smile.
I got to be a part of telling a woman she was pregnant yesterday as I was spending the day in the Coldwater clinic. SO incredible. I want to tell people they are pregnant all day long. The look on her face was the highlight of my day. Unfortunately this encounter was very short; I just wanted to stay in the room and ask her all sorts of questions and hug her and smile a lot. But, I'm pretty sure the resident I was with would not have appreciated it at all. He clearly didn't understand. Maybe it's a girl thing?
I also met the most amazing woman in the clinic this week. She was absolutely, hands down, the fourth year medical student I hope to be someday. A wonderful teacher. Incredible communicator. Caring, respectful, and an extremely compassionate mom. She was 36 weeks along with their third child. We got to talk about missions...her husband is a pastor and they go all over the world...and even take their kids...and she is just so cool.
We also saw a lady with Fragile X. And last week one of the patients had been diagnosed with Guillen Barre. Both diseases I'd only seen/heard about in lecture, but who knew they really existed! It makes things much more real. Can I skip the rest of second year and go right to the hospital? Please?
The game of catch up. Are any of us really ever ahead?
Life is busy. But very fun. Here are some things I've done and thought "I should blog about this" but never did until right now. And this is not in chronological order. My sense of time is being replaced with clinical signs of renal insufficiency and GI disaster scenarios.
I dumpster dove. Luckily it was pretty empty. But I thought I dropped my mail key in there when I threw my garbage in there. Turns out I didn't. I dropped it on my way out of the apartment. Instead I ripped the dress I was wearing as one of my neighbors watched me jump out.
No worries, the dress is fixable.
Remember how nice these days were last week? I rode my bike to study at Lake Lansing. The rain for the past 48 hours makes me miss it...
I bought a guitar. It's a little one. But, it's just about all I can handle. I'm working on CCR's Bad Moon Rising. It's fun and a lot harder than it looks.
Then the Jones' went to the Tiger's game to celebrate Nana's birthday and Mal and I went to the Wings game right afterwards. It was great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. They both won and I still passed my exam the next morning. Win-Win-Win.
Oh yeah, and I ran a marathon. It took us 4 and a half hours. The last 10 miles were a little crazy. I said I'd never do it again after about mile 20. We'll see though, I guess i should never say never.
And that guy is Bre's fiance, who let us stay at his apartment, then drove us to the race, then stood in the wet cold rain and cheered for us, and then drove us back afterwards.
Thank goodness for those two; Bre and Erin. Without them, this would not have happened.
Plain and simple.
The day after the marathon I bought this. A beautiful new road bike. I went for an 18 mile ride wih Chrissie a couple days ago and am so unbelievably happy to be on it instead of running. Bre helped me pick it out and Charlie gave me the magazine that led to the purchase. So thankful for the biking friends I've met up here. They are a great influence.
Oh, and I have plane tickets to Denver and Montana for Christmas break. And tomorrow I start working with a family doc in Coldwater. Hooray for clinical work.
If all goes as planned, at this time tomorrow I will have finished the marathon.
I can't believe I'm actually doing, in fact, I've felt kind of like I'm lying to everyone I tell.
I'm getting excited. I've been a little preoccupied with school...we have an 8 am exam Monday morning...ugh. So hopefully I don't sleep through my alarm. But, on a positive note, I've never been this prepared this far in advance for an exam! Knowing this was coming up made me more proactive than ever.
Me and Erin at Detroit last Fall running the half
I'm so thankful to have these two girls running with me...Erin and Bre. It's fitting that the only two half marathons I've done have been with them, so putting them together gives me a full marathon!
Me and Bre in Traverse City running the Bayshore Half
