You are a nurse if…

One of my colleagues emailed us and I laughed so hard until my tommy hurts,

You can only tell time with a 24 hour clock.   (12 hour time system seriously confuses me!)

You’ve been telling stories in a restaurant and had someone at another table throw up.  (I can think of few NOW!)

Every time someone asks you for a pen, you can easily find one on you.   (3 in the car, 2 in the pocket, 3 in the bag..)

You’ve told a confused patient your name was that of your coworker and to holler if they need help.  (oh! what an idea!)

Your bladder can expand to the same size as a water tank.   (and I always know the location of nearest public toilet.)

You find yourself checking out other customer’s arm veins in grocery waiting lines.     (Ooops I did it again!)

You avoid unhealthy looking shoppers in the mall for fear that they’ll drop near you and you’ll have to do CPR on your day off.    

 oh so profound.

The Proverbs 31 Nurse
By Lois Sigmon Turley, RN

Who can find a good natured Nurse?
For her price is far above silver and gold.
She seeks medicines and skills,
and works willingly with others.

She gives of herself
and considers her own desires last.
A heartwarming smile is hers,
and is made beautiful in her eyes.

She girds herself with honor
and strengthens her ability with patience.
She perceives that her work is good.
Her candle does not go out by night.
She lays her hands upon understanding.

She stretches out her hand to the poor;
yet, she reaches forth hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of sorrow,
for her trust is in God.
Pride and humility are her clothing,
and she shall rejoice in time to come.

She opens her mouth with comfort,
and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
Her associates rise up and call her blessed;
her patients also praise her kindness.

Many daughters have helped others,
but you excel them all.

Favor is deceitful,
and beauty is vain.
But a Nurse that
fears the Lord –
She shall be praised! 
 

 > I needed a bit of laughter today, hahaha!!!

Mistake

I made an awful mistake today.

I went to visit the client who lives in luxurious new house, in luxurious new suburb. I couldn’t find the door because of the design and size of the house. I went around the house few times like Jericho and finally managed to find the entrance when he noticed what I am doing and came through the door.

“Did you find the door alright?” He asked.

“Phew. I did had some trouble finding an entrance. I was just wondering who is the architect of this house..” I replied.

It was the next moment I realised that he must have chosen the design of the house himself when he built it. If I have no evidence, his face just confirmed it yes.

Somebody please slap me.

Focus

is the name of my dream car (Ford) hehe..   nah, it’s not about that,

Tonight we officially announced the multiplication of Daniel AS. I can only praise God for what he has done. I had my personal struggle along the way but God was, again, faithful to his promise and rescued me from faling into the pits of personal issues. So here we are, in the urge of new chapter and the next step, a new song.

when we focus, only the target dot gets bigger in your mind (thus in your eyes) and the rest  disappears into the background. It no longer bothers us or even gets any attention, and it becomes something ‘doesn’t matter’ any more. In the same way if we focus on God, our problems, difficulties, and inadequacies seems to be disappearing pretty quickly. it melt into the background that ‘doesn’t matter’ any more, and leave us with, God. and God only.

 Easy to say, Hard to do. But from the experience, i can tetify, yes it really is TRUE. When we think of God first, before making any decision, he will make all other things fall into its right places. Also the truth is, if our focus is not God but of something else, anything, when that ’something’ fails we will fail as well. This is something we all need to understand and remember, even in such a time as this.

What are you focusing on this day?

The pig and the cow

The pig was unpopular while the cow was beloved. This puzzled the pig.

Pig: “People speak warmly of your gentle nature and your sorrowful eyes. They think you’re generous because each day you give them milk and cream, but what about me? I give them everything I have. I give bacon and ham. I provide bristles for brushes. They even pickle my feet! Yet, no one likes me. Why is that?”

Cow: “It is because I give while I’m still living”.
 

Free

“..I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free..”

-Daleth, the Psalmist.

I am speechless before God. While I was preparing the lesson for the care group tonight, I was reminded once again how miraculously he has set me free from my past. My life wasn’t exactly that of committed believer of Christ, even though I am not proud of it, but I am not shameful of it either because it reveals the great hands of God in my life.

I wasn’t wanted from my own family, being bullied by the whole class, belittled by authorities and betrayed by someone I trusted. But whatever I have experienced, Jesus have experienced more. And so much more! I refused to open up because of the fear and insecurity, then loneliness became my second name. Jesus must’ve been doing so much more works because of my stubborn heart.

Tonight I talked about the how the emotional wounds and traumatic events from the past affects the way we think and behave. A lot of them comes from that hurt and unfulfilled need to be loved, people can be defensive, demading, avoiding, critical to others, posessive, or attention seeking even to the point of having actual physical pain with no specific reason. We would not understand why we feel the way we feel unless we revisit that painful place where it all began.

In the light of his truth, he revealed to me of my heart condition and guide me to revisit those experiences one by one. A lot of times I have reacted in denial, saying “I have no issue with that.” But it was simply because it was too painful to admit. I used all my will power to delete that memory, it was as if waking up from the deep sleep in the day light. It so bright, my eyes hurt when the light of truth shone on me. For long I refused to open my eyes, until the dim light gets familiar to my eyes, then I wanted to see, see straight to the sun, the glory of God.

Many tears, many tears. He healed me, He set me free from many bondages I tied myself with. He untangled the strings around me and pull me out of the box I locked myself in. And from then on, I can’t live without him. I have decided to give myself to him so that many others like me would eperience the freedom they’ve never known..I may be small..yeah, tiny, but if God can use anything he surely can use me.

Tonight as I was teaching and sharing, My heart was full of gratitude to my Lord. I mean, what am I God you use me..What am I God, you are so good to me..I really have no idea what have I done to receive this grace. Nothing..it just leave me in total speechless in thanksgiving to my God..he really never gave up on me.

Even in this moment he is doing that deep work in people’s heart, and I do not know any other place I’d rather be, than right where the transformation of lives are happening.

Esther Park, 1 yr.

By the time I came to Australia, my sister was still a bouncing young lady. Since she was only a year older than me, we were very close and we did everything together. I had a honor to wear all the clothes she wore before (however she never had such privilage to wear my clothes!) and  all the bags, all the socks, all the textbooks and all the whatever. We knew what was happening in each other’s life thoroughly.

While I was busy studying nursing, she was very busy meeting people day after day, night after night, mainly introduced by my parents or her friends. (in korean custom, loyal friend should not tolerate their friends ‘unattached’.)While I was busy getting through my PR application, I heard she was romantically envolved with someone. While I was desperately catching up with much needed sleep in between night shifts, she got engaged, and soon after, some wedding pictures has been sent to my email. They had a honeymoon baby Esther, (“W..H…Y…!?!?!?!”) and she is already a year old! Oh My!

Time flew. My jaw dropped by some pictures my sister sent me. <see pictures.> My rememberance about how they looked and how they lived were literally paused at 5 yrs ago. And this must be the same to them as well, about me. Of course I had an incredible life in Australia, even I may go backward 5 yrs, I won’t change a thing. (except many foolish mistakes and bad decisions I have made..) My family released me and trusted me fully. (yes, trusted me so much they gave me the responsibility to take care of their son..) I am truly grateful for that.

And my sister..you are not the bouncing young lady any more, more like an elegant graceful looking… mother.(Goodness Gracious!) I am sorry, suddenly I have literally disappeared from your life all together, but you know, I do love you no matter how far apart we are living. I promise one day I will go back and catch up with you the missing part of our lives.

 

 

Sealed with a Kiss..

 

Happy wedding to Chia yen and Kelvin.

It was a beautiful day. This was the 4th wedding I have attended in Australia, afterMel+Beng, Jane+Paul, and Jaclyn+Eyo. When Kelvin was singing a love song that he wrote for Chia yen, I was so touched and nearly cried. It was very genuine and sincere..It really is a brave thing to decide, to live with someone for the rest of life.

I was reminded of one of my clients couple who are 78 and 79 years old. They’ve been married for 50 years, now both of them are too fragile to manage the life at home independently. It was hard for me to discuss over the issue of permanent placement (nursing home) with them. Now so wrinkly, hard to imagine the shape of youth, she held my hands and said..

“He said to me, this (moving into nursing home) is going to be wonderful. He told me that when he goes (pass away) people can take care of me, so I will be alright. He was such a romantic person, he still is. Before he admit to hospital this morning, he came to me and said ‘Darling, come, give me a big hug and kiss’ and I did. I never refused him you know, and he said, ‘you are going to be alright, I don’t know whether I will be able to come out of the hospital. But, we had a good life, didn’t we, and I thank you for everything..’ “

She kissed on my hand, and said “I love you, thank you for listening to me, you are very easy to love, because you are such a lovely person.” I know she couldn’t see my tears because her eyes so dim now. I always believed it is unprofessional to be emotional at patient’s life story, but as she tells me about the memories and stories of her life, I was there, watching her of 50 years ago. Oh what a great story she had!

50 years later, couples will have stories to tell, and memories of ups and downs and how they have stick together through it all, and kept the promise on wedding day. It is a beautiful thing. It is rather, when I see the old couple walking together holding hands, more than young couple having fun together, that makes me want to be married.

I pray for such stories of great victory and Joy together, for Yen and Kelvin.