Wacky Wednesday!

7:00 AM: KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! A strange old man hand delivers my car tags. States that they were in his mailbox two weeks ago and that he had come by every day since at different times trying to catch me. I was never home, go figure.

8:00 AM: Drive to work through clouds. No really, there were clouds--everywhere!

8:30 AM: Thank Jesus for the breathtaking sight as I top a hill with valleys on both sides with the end of the clouds also in view, floating over the valleys like a canopy of cotton.

9:15 AM: Nonverbal client throws glasses in floor in an attempt to tell me he's mad that I asked him to sit back down so he wouldn't fall.

10:20 AM: Very verbal client tells me that the reason he had to come to the nursing home was this: he'd heard that I worked there and that the torture of speech therapy was actually "quite pleasurable torture".

11:00 AM: Client with developmental disability beats me at Scrabble even though I played the longest word: "blouse".

12:30 PM: Coworker comes into breakroom and threatens to stab me with fork if I eat his food. Then tells me I am allowed one spoonful of his potatoes if I replace it with cheese from my macaroni.

1:55 PM: Client tells me that he hates to break it to me, but there's no way I'll get him to function like he did when he was 30. Then, he proceeds to be the first client I've had at this facility who thanks me for all my hard work and dedication to his well-being.

4:30 PM: Nursing home resident at another place stops me in the hall and tells me I'm a sweetheart and need to be the speech therapist seeing her neice. Said resident was a client of mine when I was a student and refused therapy 3 times in a row.

5:00 PM: Long term client who I have grown very fond of gets swallow study results back--YAY! Diet upgrade to more "real" food/drinks! WOOHOO!

6:30 PM: Run around like a blindfolded turkey on Thanksgiving  morning in preparation for the evening's Awana meeting while trying to read over my lines for the message time lesson.

6:45 PM: Try to compose myself as the Sparks director walks in disguised as "Professor Spark"--complete with lab coat and spiky hair.

9:00 PM: Drive home with a smile on my face and a heart full of love for the darling little Sparkies I have been blessed to get to know.

God of the Little Things

Isn't it amazing to try to wrap your mind around the truth that God is so big that He made a universe millions of lightyears wide but can carry it in the palm of His hand--yet He cares about the little details in day-to-day life.

For each and every one of us.

Today was my "Little Blessings Day," so I shall call it. The Lord showed me through the little things that He cares and He wants to leave fingerprints of His glory all over my life. Even in those mundane, routine things like driving down the road, eating breakfast, or locating clients.

God is just good like that.

Stop and look around. See where He is leaving fingerprints in your own life. Take note.

Don't ever forget He is the God of the BIG things and the little things.

* Having good productivity today.
* Giving me time to get some paperwork done.
* Showing me moments where patience was being worked in me--and finding that it wasn't so hard when I let His grace work.
* A sweet co-worker picking up my favorite, sweet tea, when she didn't have to.
* Texts from precious friends encouraging me throughout the day.
* A calm assurance that everything was under control.
* Smiles and jokes from nurses who I never thought liked me just to serve as a reminder that relationships are forming.
* Sweet hugs and communication with very important people (my clients).
* A free bottle of water.
* A cool breeze blowing up just as 10 of us awaited the rest of the gang outside in the parking lot.
* Previously stated cool breeze remaining for the rest of the evening, with no rain, providing the perfect set-up for curb-side frozen yogurt with 13 friends!
* Stella begging to sit in my lap. Realizing that she has learned my body language...so words aren't even necessary.
* Safety on the road.
* Very little lapse between clients--no MIAs!
* Good attitudes and wisdom on how to redirect when folks weren't so nice.
* Reminders everywhere of the one true God who loves His creation!

Is that tears or sweat bringing water to my eyes?

The cause still remains unknown.

I spent a few hours out at Central Arkansas Youth Camp today. Brushed a girl's eyebrows with a fork and tried to make a guy laugh by attempting to sell him rocks to stick up his nose to protect him from the mosquitoes. I even made a girl sniff a stick and tickled another with a leaf.

That's just how I do things when I'm a Bounty Hunter playing the game "Underground Railroad."

My job was to make folks laugh, so my random side went nuts. I practiced my terrible accent collection--from Cogney-English, to Irish, Spanish, and even some Middle-Eastern sounds thrown in there. It was fun, but sadly, even my best stuff only brought smiles to those faces. They were a tought crowd to break!

The place was teaming with sweaty, smelly kids--and adults--but no one seemed to mind. I fit right in. That's why I still don't know if my eyes were blurry because of sweat or tears. You see, though the music didn't move me [Amazing Grace has a lot more meaning to me than these fancy contemporary Christian songs], the message did. It always does. So I know there were some tears thrown in there with the salty concoction oozing from my pores. My tear ducts hated to be left out.

"A Different Kind of Love." That's this year's theme. That was tonight's message. I pray that it sinks in, grasps those troubled hearts, wraps around their very souls, and never lets them go. I pray it transforms them, changes their lives, breaks the bondage of the past, and opens doors to the future for these children and teens who've never known the unconditional love of Christ.

What a blessing it was. I will be there tomorrow night. And the next. Oh, and the next after that, too!

New Hair and Other Going-Ons

Going-Ons: new word for "what's happenin'."

Yesterday, I had 10 inches of hair gracefully removed from my head. The results are presented in the photos below:

 

Oh, except right now my hair is poofy with lots of little curls all around my face, kinda like Shirley Temple, just not quite so short. That's what happens to curly-headed folks when they get their hair wet.

Anyways, last night was a once-a-month opportunity that I did not pass up: a chance to visit with dear college/career-aged friends and enjoy a bible study together at the Williamson's place. We kind of focused on realizing that things happen, not because we've been good or bad, but because we live in this world, and we should never forget that God can take anything and turn it for good. We also need to keep in mind that the good may not be visible on this side of heaven, but the reward on the other side will be eternally worth it. The testimonies, discussion, and scripture really blessed my soul. This seems to tie in with some sermons and discussions we've had at church lately.

Isn't it neat how God works?

He knows I sometimes need to hear things several times before it really sinks in, and so He always provides those multiple learning experiences for me. Sometimes it's more than just a lesson--it's the hard stuff. I'm glad He doesn't give up on me!

Today has been a long day. I went to Ross House at 6:00 this morning to cook breakfast and get the guys going for the day, then I left work to head out to Vilonia for a work day at a widow's home. I think she suffered some tornado damage from the April 11th tornado, but was more fortunate than some. I'm very grateful for my friend, Ann, who set up the workday. What a blessing it is to have friends with such a heart for God and for people! I started by helping to paint the house, but then I became dizzy in the heat (and from climbing up that tall ladder), so we I went to weed the garden. I started to think I was having some problems with heat exhaustion--a thought that was confirmed when this morning's breakfast came back up.
I guess that sausage wanted to say hello to the azalia bush.
After that, I spent most of my time doing little jobs and hanging out in the shade as much as possible. I painted the mailbox! I had a great deal of fun doing that!
Anyway, I tried to go back to Ross House afterward, but I had (still have) a splitting headache. My supervisor sent me home because she's afraid of the possibility of this being more than just heat exhaustion. I am feeling quite useless at the moment.

Exciting news: meeting up with a possible employer tomorrow evening. It sounds promising, and I'm rather excited! I am kind of nervous, like I always get before a big test or something, and would appreciate prayer for calm nerves and wisdom. God knows exactly where He wants me, but I haven't yet figured it out.

I Know Why I Do It

Today I witnessed a breakthrough.

Today a client broke out of the prison of her own physical limitations...and communicated with me.

Global aphasia is such a scary-sounding diagnosis, and it is one that carries the weight of knowing you'll never be the same again. This beautiful woman fell victim to a stroke, rendering her in near-vegetative state and diagnosed with global aphasia. I have had the privilege of working with her for a couple of weeks, with some (though little) progress--until today.

Me: "Do you want a bite to eat?"
She: [reaches out and touches a button on a communication board] "Yes," the board's speaker blares.

She did it at least a dozen more times! And all this time we've been working on getting her to acknowledge the buttons! Today she not only did that, but USED them! Woohoo!

This is so why I do what I do! I seriously had tears in my eyes and engulfed her in a big hug (whether she truly wanted it or not, I don't know for sure, but her huge smile tells me there's a big chance she did).

I have tears in my eyes as I think about it now. How absolutely amazing it is to be able to help someone trapped within themselve to relate to and communicate with the world around them. I am so very glad that God has brought me to this point and continues to shape me into a tool He can use for His work!

Oh, and if anyone is looking for volunteer work, consider a nursing home. These guys are the most precious folks you'll ever meet! Even the hard-nosed, impatient ones have so much good in them--so much need and so much hurt that can be smoothed over with just a smile and understanding nod. My hardest client can be so downright rotten at times in his attitude, but I still love seeing his face every day. He has a lot to offer this world, still, after nearly 80 years. All of them do; they are just waiting for a younger person to come hear them out and pick up their torches. I spent about an hour after therapy let out today with one of my clients, giving her a manicure and a pedicure to cover up the hideous orange paint that she unknowingly paid to have done. Not a second of that time was wasted--we were both blessed with the company. You could, too!

The View from my Front Porch

It just doesn't do justice to the beauty of tonight's sunset. I really need a better view camera.

106. I just love sunsets.

I'd love sunrises, too, if I was awake and outdoors in time to see them. I'm always available for a sunset. :) And it's not just the sky that is so amazing. Something about the lighting at this time of day makes the green of plantlife so vibrant that it pops right out as if to say, "Look at me!" I have noticed that this same thing happens right before a daytime storm. I'm getting chills just thinking about it. Only God could do something so wonderful!

107.  Praising God for a career where I don't feel pressured to suppress my faith.

I was talking with a client today about how intricate and resourceful the brain is--and how unexplainable it is, even after lifetimes of study. I can never talk about nature or anatomy without talking about God, and so the conversation led into how it is impossible to look at the brain alone and not know that God truly does exist, that He is powerful and omniscient. It is too complex to have just developed without the hands of a mastermind...THE Mastermind. I didn't even know if this woman was a Christian, so I probably shouldn't have said all I said (if I wanted to be politically correct) but my higher calling and love is to share Jesus with the world, so I did anyway. She was a Christian and it blessed her soul to hear that testimony.

108. I'm so grateful God chooses to use me, even in the little things!

Someone told me tonight at church that they think I'm sweet and helpful. Well, it's not me who is sweet, but Jesus Christ in me who is working that in my heart. I've got a long way to go before I could ever consider myself "sweet." But it is very nice to know that God used me to bless her.

109. Glad for another job interview set up for next Friday.

And this one is close to home! My advisors say it's difficult to find jobs around here, and they also tell me it is best to have one lined up for graduation. Well, graduation is less than 2 months away, and I don't have one yet. Regardless, I am not going to worry about it. God has been my provider in EVERY situation and somehow I just know He's going to work it out perfectly in His timing! 

110. Comfort in sorrow and strength to overcome.

June is always a difficult month for me as I think back on where I've come from. Four years ago tomorrow marks the day I got married, and three years ago this month also marks the day my husband walked out of my life. I'm so very grateful that God never left me, even when I thought I did not want Him any longer. I'm glad He didn't give up on me! And now I am grateful that He gives me peace over the situation and a hope for a future. He has a purpose and a calling for my life! I pray I never forget what He has brought me through and what He has done for me in those difficult times.

A Summer's Journey

Here I sit on my sofa, enjoying the warmth Stella's underbelly gives off towards my very-cold toes. Yes, the day's temperature was in the upper 90s, but try telling my foot's appendages that. They don't care.

Thankfully, my dog does.

The majority of my family, from Ohio to Arkansas, are getting ready to launch off on an adventure to the beach together. They will enjoy a week of fun in sun and fellowship with one another--so much catching up to be done! I, however, will remain where I am, anchored to this town Monday through Friday for the remainder of the summer by a massive magnetic power I tend to call "THERAPY."

I've never been to the beach.

My "adopted" family here are planning a 2-week trip to South Dakota later this month. AHH! What will I do without them?! Again, I find myself glued to this spot, unmoving, due to this unrelenting force--"THERAPY."

I've never been to Mount Rushmore.

Then again, I wasn't invited on that trip. (chuckling quietly to self) I just thought it would add to the dramatic emotion of the scene.

Regardless of all the fun and memories I won't experience this summer, there are so many more to be made. I am loving my career choice more and more with every passing day--and every sweet smile. I am carried away with compassion for these precious elderly individuals, with stories to be told and lives to be shared.

I may miss out on some exciting trips, but God has given me a journey this summer that I will not regret taking. He has been leading me and teaching me. This speech therapist is speechless when I consider His hand in my life.

Thankful for:
101. A last-minute bible study in my small, perpetually dark living room
102. An opportunity to catch up with classmates over hamburger helper
103. Provision of clinical hours and a peace about meeting the quota for graduation
104. A reminder of God's steadfast, unchanging nature in a world of instability and time of shifting loyalties
105. A make-shift blanket of soft black and white fur with two beautiful eyes...oh! that's my dog! Well, I'm thankful for her, too.

Fleamarkets and Kiddos

Today I found myself enjoying the day browsing fleamarkets with my *absolutely wonderful* friend, Heather. I brought home a stack of goodies: two board games, three kids' books, a set of Spanish/English puzzle cards, and a set of 12 neat little Christmas ornaments depicting the names of Christ. She got a set of 12 (or 16?) drinking jars and a couple of kids' books. What incredible finds! I love fleamarkets!

Speaking of kids (What? I mentioned kids' books, didn't I?), we had our AWANA awards ceremony tonight. I cannot put into words exactly how I felt when those sweet little angels from my group, the Green team, went up to receive their awards. It was something like a sense of pride and overflowing love, joy at knowing the eternal effects this program will have on some of these kids, and humility because of two things: one, God worked through inadequate me this semester to bless these kids and two, it took the dedication of parents and the determination of these kids to get them to where they are--my role as a leader had little to do with their progress throughout the year.

"Jesus pets"

These guys never cease to amaze me. I learn something new every day! Today, one of the guys came into the dining area, still sporting his mismatched PJs and unkempt bed hair. A huge grin was plastered across his face. HE: "Guess what? I have a new pet!" ME: "You do?" HE: "Yep. It's a Jesus pet. It's alive like Jesus and He gave it to me." ME: "Really? What is it?" HE: "It's a spider! A BIG ONE!" He wasn't too thrilled to learn that he couldn't keep his grandaddy longlegsas a pet and escorted me to the door. We said our goodbyes as we watched the "Jesus pet" crawl away in the flower bed. I hope this memory lasts until the day I die...a simple reminder that Jesus conquered death and hell that we might live...and that He is the creator of all living things! "...and God saw what He had made, that it was good." **sorry for formatting of this post. Typing from a phone is harder than I thought it would be.**