gift of blood

It was my turn to give blood a couple weeks ago. My good friend Maggie works in the lab. She just so happened to be around to stick me :-) The recipient was a ten year old boy who was going to have surgery to correct his crooked legs (in layman's terms) :-) When I met his father, he eagerly told me "Thank you, thank you! God bless you!" with a very big grin.

our saturday

An afternoon at the beach together

+

a good book & a pack lunch

+

dinner out with friends

=

one great, relaxing day!!

names of God

In my quest to share a word of encouragement to my nurses at shift-change today, I found this. I liked this particular list because they are the references God himself uses in Scripture. I thought I'd share them with you.

When I read this list I am humbled, awe-struck, thankful, encouraged, and full of peace. May it be so with you!

ABBA.............................Romans 8:15
ADVOCATE.........................I John 2:1 (kjv)
ALMIGHTY.........................Genesis 17:1
ALPHA............................Revelation 22:13
AMEN.............................Revelation 3:14
ANCIENT OF DAYS..................Daniel 7:9
ANOINTED ONE.....................Psalm 2:2
APOSTLE..........................Hebrews 3:1
ARM OF THE LORD..................Isaiah 53:1
AUTHOR OF LIFE...................Acts 3:15
AUTHOR OF OUR FAITH..............Hebrews 12:2

BEGINNING.........................Revelation 21:6
BLESSED & HOLY RULER..............1 Timothy 6:15
BRANCH............................Jeremiah 33:15
BREAD OF GOD......................John 6:33
BREAD OF LIFE.....................John 6:35
BRIDEGROOM........................Isaiah 62:56
BRIGHT MORNING STAR...............Revelation 22:16

CHIEF SHEPHERD.....................1 Peter 5:4
CHOSEN ONE.........................Isaiah 42:1
CHRIST.............................Matthew 22:42
CHRIST OF GOD......................Luke 9:20
CHRIST THE LORD....................Luke 2:11
CHRIST, SON OF LIVING GOD..........Matthew 16:16
COMFORTER..........................John 14:26(kjv)
COMMANDER..........................Isaiah 55:4
CONSOLATION OF ISRAEL...............Luke 2:25
CONSUMING FIRE......................Deut. 4:24, Heb. 12:29
CORNERSTONE.........................Isaiah 28:16
COUNSELOR...........................Isaiah 9:6
CREATOR.............................1 Peter 4:19

DELIVERER..............................Romans 11:26
DESIRED OF ALL NATIONS.................Haggai 2:7
DOOR...................................John 10:7(kjv)

END....................................Revelation 21:6
ETERNAL GOD............................Deut. 33:27
EVERLASTING FATHER.....................Isaiah 9:6

FAITHFUL & TRUE........................Revelation 19:11
FAITHFUL WITNESS.......................Revelation 1:5
FATHER.................................Matthew 6:9
FIRSTBORN (3)........................................Rom.8:29,Rev.1:5,Col.1:15
FIRSTFRUITS............................1 Cor.15:20-23
FOUNDATION.............................1 Cor. 3:11
FRIEND OF TAX COLLECTORS & SINNERS.....Matthew 11:19

GENTLE WHISPER.........................1 Kings 19:12
GIFT OF GOD............................John 4:10
GLORY OF THE LORD......................Isaiah 40:5
GOD....................................Genesis 1:1
GOD ALMIGHTY...........................Genesis 17:1
GOD OVER ALL...........................Romans 9:5
GOD WHO SEES ME........................Genesis 16:13
GOOD SHEPHERD..........................John 10:11
GREAT HIGH PRIEST......................Hebrews 4:14
GREAT SHEPHERD.........................Hebrews 13:20
GUIDE..................................Psalm 48:14

HEAD OF THE BODY.......................Colossians 1:18
HEAD OF THE CHURCH.....................Ephesians 5:23
HEIR OF ALL THINGS.....................Hebrews 1:2
HIGH PRIEST............................Hebrews 3:1
HIGH PRIEST FOREVER....................Hebrews 6:20
HOLY ONE...............................Acts 2:27
HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL.....................Isaiah 49:7
HOLY SPIRIT............................John 15:26
HOPE...................................Titus 2:13
HORN OF SALVATION......................Luke 1:69

I AM....................................Exodus 3:14, John 8:58
IMAGE OF GOD............................2 Cor. 4:4
IMAGE OF HIS PERSON.....................Hebrews 1:3 (kjv)
IMMANUEL................................Isaiah 7:14

JEALOUS..............................Exodus 34:14 (kjv)
JEHOVAH..............................Psalm 83:18 (kjv)
JESUS................................Matthew 1:21
JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD................Romans 6:23
JUDGE................................Isaiah 33:22, Acts 10:42

KING.................................Zechariah 9:9
KING ETERNAL.........................1 Timothy 1:17
KING OF KINGS........................1 Timothy 6:15
KING OF THE AGES.....................Revelation 15:3

LAMB OF GOD...........................John 1:29
LAST ADAM.............................1 Cor. 15:45
LAWGIVER..............................Isaiah 33:22
LEADER................................Isaiah 55:4
LIFE..................................John 14:6
LIGHT OF THE WORLD....................John 8:12
LIKE AN EAGLE.........................Deut. 32:11
LILY OF THE VALLEYS...................Song 2:1
LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH............Revelation 5:5
LIVING STONE..........................1 Peter 2:4
LIVING WATER..........................John 4:10
LORD..................................John 13:13
LORD GOD ALMIGHTY.....................Revelation 15:3
LORD JESUS CHRIST.....................1 Cor. 15:57
LORD OF ALL...........................Acts 10:36
LORD OF GLORY ........................1 Cor. 2:8
LORD OF LORDS.........................1 Tim. 6:15
LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS..............Jeremiah 23:6
LOVE.................................1 John 4:8

MAN OF SORROWS.........................Isaiah 53:3
MASTER..................................Luke 5:5
MEDIATOR................................1 Timothy 2:5
MERCIFUL GOD............................Jeremiah 3:12
MESSENGER OF THE COVENANT................Malachi 3:1
MESSIAH................................. John 4:25
MIGHTY GOD...............................Isaiah 9:6
MIGHTY ONE...............................Isaiah 60:16

NAZARENE.................................Matthew 2:23

OFFSPRING OF DAVID.......................Revelation 22:16
OMEGA....................................Revelation 22:13
ONLY BEGOTTEN SON........................John 1:18(kjv)
OUR PASSOVER LAMB........................1 Cor. 5:7
OUR PEACE................................Ephesians 2:14

POTTER...................................Isaiah 64:8
POWER OF GOD.............................1 Cor. 1:24
PRINCE OF PEACE..........................Isaiah 9:6
PROPHET..................................Acts 3:22
PURIFIER.................................Malachi 3:3

RABBONI (TEACHER)........................John 20:16
RADIANCE OF GOD'S GLORY..................Heb.1:3
REDEEMER.................................Job 19:25
REFINER'S FIRE...........................Malachi 3:2
RESURRECTION.............................John 11:25
RIGHTEOUS ONE............................1 John 2:1
ROCK.....................................1 Cor.10:4
ROOT OF DAVID............................Rev. 22:16
ROSE OF SHARON...........................Song 2:1
RULER OF GOD'S CREATION..................Rev. 3:14
RULER OVER KINGS OF EARTH................Rev 1:5
RULER OVER ISRAEL........................Micah 5:2

SAVIOR...................................Luke 2:11
SCEPTER OUT OF ISRAEL....................Numbers 24:17
SEED.....................................Genesis 3:15
SERVANT..................................Isaiah 42:1
SHEPHERD OF OUR SOULS....................1Peter 2:25
SHIELD...................................Genesis 15:1
SON OF DAVID.............................Matthew 1:1
SON OF GOD...............................Matthew 27:54
SON OF MAN...............................Matthew 8:20
SON OF THE MOST HIGH.....................Luke 1:32
SOURCE...................................Hebrews 5:9
SPIRIT OF GOD............................Genesis 1:2
STAR OUT OF JACOB........................Numbers 24:17
STONE....................................1 Peter 2:8
SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.....................Malachi 4:2

TEACHER...................................John 13:13
TRUE LIGHT................................John 1:9
TRUE WITNESS..............................Revelation 3:14
TRUTH.....................................John 14:6

VINE......................................John 15:5

WAY........................................John 14:6
WISDOM OF GOD..............................1 Cor. 1:24
WITNESS....................................Isaiah 55:4
WONDERFUL..................................Isaiah 9:6
WORD.......................................John 1:1
WORD OF GOD................................Revelation 19:13

wordless wednesday... yummy!

A delivery of fresh local produce for our meals

(Mango, pepper, pineapple, melon, tomato, plaintain...)

love from home

I found this surprise in the mail last week!

Each month is decorated with photos of our Family, relating to special events and memories together. I LOVE them all, so here's just a few...

... and my mom says she's not crafty!! :-)

She also knows how special this gift is to me.

What greater thing is there for human souls than to feel that they are joined for life - to be with each other in silent unspeakable memories. ~George Eliot

where i'm at, my heart's cry

God in my living

There in my breathing

God in my waking

God in my sleeping

God in my resting

There in my working

God in my thinking

God in my speaking

Be my everything

Be my everything

God in my hoping

There in my dreaming

God in my watching

God in my waiting

God in my laughing

There in my weeping

God in my hurting

God in my healing

Christ in me

Christ in me

Christ in me the hope of glory

You are everything

Christ in me

Christ in me

Christ in me the hope of glory

Be my everything

(Lyrics to song Everything)

unspoken understanding

Eight some years ago I graduated from nursing school, eager and excited to take care of people in their time of need. I was ready to be a part of the healing. I felt privileged (and still do) to be able to be a part of what can be such a vulnerable time in one's life.

I really only knew part of the plan.

With time I came to realize that God doesn't just bring me into their life, He also brings them into my life. I am one half of my story, and my patient is the other. You see, I learn something every day from my patients. From the drug-seeking behaviors to the strength of the one battling cancer; from the family fighting over their grandma's will to the devoted spouse of sixty-five years. And more. The words and images are forever tucked away in my memory. In my heart.

There are those patients who cross my path and leave a footprint. Who touch my heart in a special way. The ones I shed tears over at the end of the day; the ones I just have to pray and then "let God" because its the only way to cope with the ache in my heart so I can (and will) go back to work and do it all over again.

I have one of those patients on the ward right now.

Sweet, precious Jean. He is just under two years old and a twin :-). He had a big hole in his palate and lip that we recently repaired. But his recovery has been difficult and slow because of a neuromuscular disorder. Jean requires so much attention and care. His prognosis is unknown, his quality of life questionable.

My heart aches for him.

And his mama is another story. We truly couldn't do it without her. She has been incredible. She is so attentive and conscientious, tending to his needs with such love and concern. The point of my story is here. Being an open ward, the patients observe the care of their neighbor in the next bed and across from them. She has hardly slept much since she's been here. She is exhausted. The mama of the patient next to Jean has watched Jean and his mama over the last several days. The last couple days I have observed the most beautiful thing. The neighboring mama takes Jean and wraps him on her back in typical African fashion. She'll then walk the ward with him until he falls asleep. I see an unspoken understanding between these mamas. Their is an understanding of what they've both been through, like perhaps raising "less-than perfect," "cursed" children, and the extra demands and attention needed. This act of selfless love touched me.

Once again my patients have challenged me. Those two mamas teach me what it means to love, to live in community, to bear another's burden, to put another's need above your own. To be.

Once again, like all those times before, I leave my shift more blessed.

the other me :-)

Just for kicks I thought I'd post a pic of my identical twin for all my friends on the ship who are still finding out that I have one. :-)

She just got bangs and colored her hair.

Isn't she beautiful!!

I . MISS. HER.

Lawson

*See prior post for pre-op photos

from one to another

Meet our friend Lawson.

Last week he underwent a 6+ hour surgery to remove his tumor that had been growing for four years! He needed a couple units of blood to boost him up before surgery. Because we are a floating hospital ship, we rely on crew to donate blood when a patient is in need. Tim was one of four who gave blood to Lawson. And I got to go in the OR and see part of his surgery.

Lawson came to my ward following surgery. After a few days I told him that one of the units of blood he received was from my husband. I of course added that the "Alexander blood" explains why he's recovering so well. :-)

Today Tim visited Lawson for the first time since his surgery. He was greeted with two big bear hugs!

Only here do you get to meet the person that your blood was given to.

Pretty special.

Tomorrow Lawson goes home. Post-surgery pictures to come... I can't wait to share them!!

not important... :-)

Many of our supplies and stock here on the ship are donated by some very generous people and organizations.

This is the napkin that I picked out of the napkin stash at dinner tonight.

Funny how some things you just know are donations. :-)