"...although that was the shortest..."

"God did not guide them by the road towards the Philistines, although that was the shortest;... God made them go round by way of the wilderness towards the red sea."

Exodus 13:17-18

Go Back!

If you've had an interest in the LMT project, scroll down a couple posts back to see the two posts entitled Backpacks & Supplies and Graduation. I startled the titles several days ago, but I was just able to upload the pics and finish them.

:)'s

God's calling = His enabling

Who am I to charge God with having something more "exciting" in store for my life? What's my purpose in life anyways -- to serve God, or to hound after adventure, experiences, and adrenaline thrills? And exactly who do I have the audacity to think that I am... to venture to think that the plans of my creation are what my Creator created me for.

Words of recent rebuke to myself from my journal. God has spoken to my heart giving me a new vision for service - one that may require a more long-term commitment and that goes completely against anything I have ever envisioned myself being involved in. (Although I would have fully supported anyone else's doing so.) All of a sudden I could hear the thoughts of my heart for what they were and I was so ashamed of myself. Me questioning God as to if this is really what He would have for me as I was meant for more "adventurous" work. Yeah. Sad.

You see, I love adventure. And I knew that because of that God made me to work flying as a bush pilot in Alaska...or I should have adventures as a backpack medic in the jungles of Burma...or at least do medical relief work in Afghanistan...and, if not that, God certainly made me to be a paramedic on the streets of some busy city in the States, there for others in their emergencies... That's how I would serve. Right? I mean of course! Yes, without a doubt! Because God would want me to be happy! And He knows I couldn't be happy doing something that's listed as more "boring" or domestic in my book.

Or couldn't I?

What I now know is that - wonder of wonders! - I could. And I couldn't only just be happy. I could be exuberantly joyfully happy. If that's what my Father wants.

After all, His calling is His enabling...

Update: Jabez Daniel

So our little Jabez is 2 months old already and grows cuter daily (it continually baffles me as to how that really works, seeing as he's already about as cute as cute gets!):) According to the best I can figure, if Isaac and him had not been two months preemie they should have been born last Sabbath. He's currently 1.015 kg (or 4.4 lbs), having gained over half a kg since when we first got him. And incredibly enough, considering the size and depth of that thing, his pressure sore has pretty much completely healed!
Despite his improvements though, they re-hospitalized him up in Chiang Mai this last Sunday. He was diagnosed with severe anemia (worse than before) and pneumonia. After another blood transfusion he's doing much better and it looks as if he'll be discharged soon.
He's a really truly miracle!

Graduation

Sunday dawned bright and clear as usual, but for me a special day, no less. The graduation for our LMT students together with presenting them with their backpacks and medical supplies which they have worked so hard for. While this had been to me a very special project, I was more than ready to let the load of it roll off of my shoulders. It's been a big learning curve for me and I'd love to see it happen again. A big thank-you to everyone who helped out along the way! Not to mention our Eureka youth class who worked so hard for this! Here's just a couple pictures that show a small piece of the fruit of your labors. I wish you could have been there to see the smiles on their faces! And, no, regretfully, Jason's specialized do-it-all surgical scalpels were not part of the presentation.:)




You may notice that their is only seven students in the picture rather than nine (the number we had purchased backpacks and supplies for.) It came as a real blow to me to learn that right at the end of the class, in my absence, two of the students left our school. But God's in control of that. At the same time as I was so disapointed, in a way I was almost relieved too as the two who left (voluntarily) were my two students that I was really struggling with at times (one seeming entirely unmotivated and the other overly self-confidant.) Right now all I need is two dedicated students to fill in the gap. Hopefully I'll be able to work more one-on-one with them.
Nonetheless, it was a very special day. We had prayer and a couple of small speeches in which the students were admonished to ultimately rely on God in any situation they may face and to use prayer at every opportunity. They were then presented with the backpacks and we had a meal of fruit, milk, and cookies (real treats) for celebration.
They don't want to be finished. (How I love them! Motivated students like that are so much fun!) They'd like to continue learning with more random classes when possible. I'd like to see that happen. Now I just need to get my act together and do it. Hopefully it will happen after things are more settled with Jabez and I return again.

Backpacks & Supplies

This would be all the backpacks and supplies for our LMT students (supplies including: stethoscopes, bp cuffs, hemostats, scissors, thermometers, salbutamol, paracetemol, bags for medicine, and even instant hand sanitizer - a free gift from a pharmacy where I often buy medicine!) which the youth class from our home church took on as a special project and donated all the money for.


Now this was a fun - picure time! Finally getting to see it all together!


Jason happened upon the fun just in time to add his special implements of sorts to the assortment. He likes to think of it as his special part to play in all of it - yes, that would be his specialialized do-it-all surgical scalpels? which incidentally come in varying shapes and sizes. Possibly a bit rusty, but none the worse for the wear.:)


Look ready to go? A Bible and maybe some rice thrown into the mix and it would appear so!

How do we say thank-you? God used you to turn this dream into a reality!:)