Where we are, Where we've been

This blog started out as a random endeavor and has become something with a little more meaning.

First, the stats.

My first post:

Stride. . .

I feel like I have hit my stride on this whole college thing. I am learning to balance my spiritual life, with my academic life, with my social life, with my love. . . OK, let's not get too carried away. I am so happy where I am and I am learning that the place of duty is most definitely the place of blessing.
Today I signed up for volunteering at the Anderson Free Medical Clinic, went to my first epidemiology class (and liked it a lot), studied organic (yes, I'm a dork, but I like it a lot too!), celebrated Julia's belated birthday with the rest of the girls of 731, watched a movie, started a blog (woot woot), outwitted the Clemson parking services by parking in a timed spot for an hour and a half instead of the hour I paid for, and realized that a week from tomorrow is the First Friday parade and the start of a football weekend!!!!!!
Life is good and this semester is SO much better than last!! Thank Heavens, that I have finally hit my stride!!!

The Years, by Numbers: 

The first calendar year (2009) I wrote 17 posts. 

The second year (2010) I wrote 27 posts.

The third year (2011) I wrote 89 posts.

And thus far in 2012 I have written 5 posts--eesh, I need to hurry up. 

2009 began (in August) with hitting my stride at Clemson and ended with the joy of being in the Lord.  (Which, by the way, I just read that post and was completely encouraged! Yay for a blog!!)

2010 began with Word Vomit (that whole episode still makes me cringe) and ended with transitions from 2010 to 2011 and what I expected to occur in the year to come (after reading that post again, though, let me say that in 2011 I DID NOT do a medical mission trip, obtain a paying summer job, have many clinical experiences or really and truly figure out where I would be for the 2 years following college [that's still in the works, but hey, obviously we got the 1st month down pat because here I am!]--so maybe my expectations were a little high for 2011!)**

**Please do not ever let me "predict" the year ahead, again!!

2011 began with the brokenness of marriage and relationships (wow! way to begin with a bang there Catharine!!---I'm so sorry for that!!) and ended with a quote from Bonhoeffer (now that's a way to wind down on a year!!). 

And 2012 began with my first blood spatter on my scrubs!!! Well, it really began with a hiatus message but we'll skip that one for record-keeping sake of actual events. But with blood spatter to begin who knows where 2012 will wind up!!!! I'm super-excited about what 2012 will bring, I'm a little nervous, a little anxious, a little ready to say "Good Riddance!!" to surprises, and just wondering where I'll wind up at the end of it all! 

So now, back to what I said about the blog taking on a little more meaning. At first it was a record of events, I've only ever prayer-journaled and I began to realize that things were slipping by and this is what came from that realization. Then I realized that I had one or two readers and I began to publish some of my more serious thoughts on here. With that came more in-depth examination of those thoughts because I knew if they were published for all the world to see I had to be ready to give an answer for what I believed and I had to publish them in such a way that they weren't misconstrued (so I really had to dissect my thoughts and ask myself, 'What are you meaning when you think or say such-and-such?", etc.). And now, I'm realizing that people are reading this little site and that through it they are praying for me and loving me all the more, and I cannot tell you what that means to me! I covet any and all prayers and am so very grateful for them! 

But also, I hope that this site is an encouragement to your soul as a reader. I don't know much but I hope that something that the Lord has revealed to me or caused me to write on this site has been useful to you. There are times when I sit down to write one thing and an entirely different thing gets posted and usually that's for my sake entirely but I hope that in some way you've been blessed too!

Anyway, thanks for reading for two and a half years now! It means a lot!!!!

C.S.L. Says It Best

This is how I felt when I was writing the post-before-last:

"Thirty was so strange for me. I've really had to come to terms with the fact that I am now a walking, talking adult."   --C.S. Lewis

He's right. And I'm not 30 but that's what I'm feeling.

First design endeavor!!

The apartment in Charleston is almost done!!! I've played minor roles as architect and interior designer in this process and I can't wait to see everything done. I'm only slightly nervous about the paint color, but there is such thing as a re-do (Hallelujah!). It's hard to paint a tiny space and make it warm but not too dark!! But, enough rambling: check out the photos here!! More pics to come this weekend, when I am there and able to see all the fun progress (I hear mentions of CABINETS!!!)!!!

Living 1 Timothy 4:12

For the past few weeks I have struggled with who I am--well, age-wise that is!
Am I a student? Nope. But I do live in a college-town with college people.
Am I a child? Errr. . . I don't think so.
Am I an adult? Yes. . . but, then again, I can't even buy alcohol yet, soooooo. . .
Am I treated like an adult? Well, yeah.
Am I doing adult things? YES. I am doing things many adults never comprehend doing or knowing or wanting to know.

So here's what I am: a young, hard-working girl (note: not woman yet--still too young for that!) who is living and breathing by 1 Timothy 4:12: "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in faith and in purity."
It's hard to maintain purity when you have to be really open and honest about the things of this world and the many sinful behaviors that our society condones. It's a challenge to love and serve donors, coworkers, bosses, etc. It's hard for me to maintain the balance of "not letting anyone look down on me" for my pride's sake vs. "not letting anyone look down on me" for the glory of the Lord. And I've failed miserably on this point! It's hard for me to fail and not get angry at myself so I strive to avoid failure altogether, though that's awesome for the donors' sake, it's not awesome for my own well-being or the longevity of my happiness at my job. We all need to fail sometime, we need mercy, we need room to breathe and grow, we learn from failure, Christ spent His time on this earth with "failures." So I need to lighten up.
Speech. Conduct. Faith. Purity. Everything from a smile on my face when it's butt-early in the morning and I walk in that door and clock in, a cheerful heart, a loving spirit, joyful speech, laughter, a will to learn and do, etc. I'm learning as I go. It's definitely a different setting but it is also incredibly fun!! And I do absolutely love it!!

P.S. January is flying, flying by. Where'd it go?? I hope your 2012 has been awesome so far and has been full of fresh starts. Isn't it exciting to see what it will bring??? ;)

First Blood Spatter on Scrubs!!

Score one for me!!! I followed our protocol and still got blood on my scrubs BUT I am so stinking proud! I really do like my new job. And here is photographic evidence of my first war wound!

It looked much more impressive in person ;) haha

P.S. I know, I am now officially a dork but I do love medicine and I can't wait for more blood spatters to come!! 

I Am Coming Back Soon

I promise to write soon! Between a new job that gets me up early and home late (too bad I can't blog on the 50 minute commute) and getting re-settled into some semblance of a routine after Christmas, things have been busy!! But I will be back to posting regularly again soon. For now: a Sunday nap...Be still my soul!