...and is in full swing. Actually, summer session is over halfway done already!
Only 2 more weeks left of clinic after this week. Then my research paper is due! I really need to get serious about working on it. I've started but gotten very little done. Now I'm starting to worry. Now that I've realized how freaking soon that is!
I still have moments of questioning when it comes to SLP. Then I get excited over something like discovering we now have 40,000 Selected Words in the materials room. Forget 30,000 Words, we've upgraded! I even looked into buying a copy for myself. And I got excited about a resource a supervisor gave me for /r/. I've barely begun looking at it but it looks like a gold mine, good stuff. So that helps ease some of those questions. I think now a bigger question with SLP is do I want to work with kids or adults? After my first semester I was certain I wanted to work with adults. Now I'm not so sure. I enjoy doing articulation therapy with children. I think I may even like language therapy with children if I had a different experience with it than my previous experience. The preschool is what turned me off from wanting to work with children. I'm not at all saying the Preschool was a "bad" thing. It's done lots of good for children. 3 hours at a time, twice a week, with the same child, it's just not your typical therapy situation. So now I'm questioning, children or adults? I'm even beginning to slightly consider the school system. The one place I for sure did not want to work in. I'm not too sure about it though. IEPs, CCSS, etc. Eek!
Non-school related. Finally accomplished 3 miles with no walking or stopping. I've been using the same plan I found over 2 years ago. I never got through it all until now. It actually goes by time to get you up to 30 minutes continuous. I mapped my run when I finished and it was just over 3 miles and 31 minutes and some seconds. I'm not sure where to go from here though. I strictly followed the running plan before. I don't have a plan anymore. What to do!? I'll probably run the 5k in Glorieta. That's not a plan though.
I don't think I have anything else to ramble on about at the moment. Off to making therapy plans.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Sunday, June 23, 2013
I'm Praying for You
Last Sunday, during Sunday School, I got an idea. It's a relatively simple idea- everyday pray for a specific person.
People immediately started coming to mind. Certain dates for certain people came to mind. Later that evening I started making a list of people. Every person whose name I wrote down made me think of another person. The list continued growing. I thought I just want to pray for everybody. That reminded me of a child's prayer I once heard. "I want to pray for everyone and everybody." That's exactly how I felt. I mean, really, who shouldn't go on the list?
This idea the Lord gave me to pray specifically for a particular person each day excites me for multiple reasons. I'd be lying if I said I'm praying every day. This will help me in becoming more intentional. More intentional in my prayer life and praying everyday. More intentional with whoever I am praying for.There are people I think of often but never tell them anything, people I don't see much anymore. Simply letting them know, "Hey, I'm praying for you today," or asking them, "How have you been?" Be honest though, I'm doubtful I actually will let whoever know every day.
There really isn't a strict structure to this. Some people I'm sure I will pray for multiple times. Some days I will be praying specifically for more than one person. I have a notebook that I've listed the dates for the next year and on certain dates I already have names for some reason or another. Some days I'll just wait and see who the Lord puts on my heart to pray for that day. Other days I may just look at the list of names I started compiling and pick one.
It's been a week and I'm already seeing how the Lord is using this and teaching me. Thursday morning, as I looked to see to see if I had already written down the name of someone to pray for, I had someone in mind that I wanted to pray for that day. I was a bit disappointed when I saw I already had not one but two names written already. Praying for three would just be ridiculous. (That is sarcasm, for clarification). Later in the afternoon, I got word that one of those people I was praying for was having some physical problems. It wasn't until about another hour later that I was thinking about that person and realized this is why I am praying for them today. It was one of those times when the Lord teaches you something and just leaves you thinking, "good one, Lord, good one."
People immediately started coming to mind. Certain dates for certain people came to mind. Later that evening I started making a list of people. Every person whose name I wrote down made me think of another person. The list continued growing. I thought I just want to pray for everybody. That reminded me of a child's prayer I once heard. "I want to pray for everyone and everybody." That's exactly how I felt. I mean, really, who shouldn't go on the list?
This idea the Lord gave me to pray specifically for a particular person each day excites me for multiple reasons. I'd be lying if I said I'm praying every day. This will help me in becoming more intentional. More intentional in my prayer life and praying everyday. More intentional with whoever I am praying for.There are people I think of often but never tell them anything, people I don't see much anymore. Simply letting them know, "Hey, I'm praying for you today," or asking them, "How have you been?" Be honest though, I'm doubtful I actually will let whoever know every day.
There really isn't a strict structure to this. Some people I'm sure I will pray for multiple times. Some days I will be praying specifically for more than one person. I have a notebook that I've listed the dates for the next year and on certain dates I already have names for some reason or another. Some days I'll just wait and see who the Lord puts on my heart to pray for that day. Other days I may just look at the list of names I started compiling and pick one.
It's been a week and I'm already seeing how the Lord is using this and teaching me. Thursday morning, as I looked to see to see if I had already written down the name of someone to pray for, I had someone in mind that I wanted to pray for that day. I was a bit disappointed when I saw I already had not one but two names written already. Praying for three would just be ridiculous. (That is sarcasm, for clarification). Later in the afternoon, I got word that one of those people I was praying for was having some physical problems. It wasn't until about another hour later that I was thinking about that person and realized this is why I am praying for them today. It was one of those times when the Lord teaches you something and just leaves you thinking, "good one, Lord, good one."
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Semester 2 is Through
Boy what a semester it has been! I think back to the beginning of the semester year and remember that I was literally counting the days until a new year! As I think back on why the semester started off so bad I realize how insignificant some of those "troubles" were. There was a lot of nothing that I let hold me back and get me down.That's not to say there weren't very real things going on, but now I look back and question why I let some things have such a great effect. It was like I couldn't really control it though. What's past is past. Live and learn.
Now I look at the semester, now that I've made it to the end, and think, "wow, I've come a long way!" I have supervisors who have told me that, and that I'm a completely different person now than who I was in the beginning. I am thankful for those supervisors and realize they do care and were concerned. I don't know why I have to remind myself so many times that they are on our side. They are not out to get us.
This is the first semester that I can really look back on it, and the whole school year, and truly realize how much I've learned. Of course there is always more to learn. Being friends with a freshman who is studying communication disorders reminds me that I once in their place and now look how much I've learned over the years.
Some significant things from this semester:
Now I look at the semester, now that I've made it to the end, and think, "wow, I've come a long way!" I have supervisors who have told me that, and that I'm a completely different person now than who I was in the beginning. I am thankful for those supervisors and realize they do care and were concerned. I don't know why I have to remind myself so many times that they are on our side. They are not out to get us.
This is the first semester that I can really look back on it, and the whole school year, and truly realize how much I've learned. Of course there is always more to learn. Being friends with a freshman who is studying communication disorders reminds me that I once in their place and now look how much I've learned over the years.
Some significant things from this semester:
- I've gotten to know more of my classmates better. They are my companions for the next year still and my future colleagues but the fall semester I avoided the work room as much as possible. I'm glad to have spent more time in it this semester and spend time, even if it was always at school, with them.
- Community. I'm not sure how to explain this one. I have so many thoughts on it, but they don't all connect. Basically, we all need each other. One of my clients pretty much sung praises of how thankful and blessed he is to have me. But I needed him just as much. His patience, kindness, joy, support, encouragement. I could sing praises about him. He is part of the reason I got my act together. I knew he was counting on me, and I could not let him down. Also, at a Graduate Student Association (GSA) appreciation event I got to meet and talk with other graduate students in many other fields. We were all so different but we could still find connections. *Going off on a rabbit trail now* And something wonderful, at least in my eyes, happened then. It was a Thursday night before TNT and Yangbin was there too. He took the initiative and started inviting people to TNT and International Dinner at the BCM. As we were leaving I told him I was proud of him, the way he started just telling everybody about the BCM. He said, rather matter-of-factly, something along the lines of "it's the Gospel. Why shouldn't I?" What!? Way to go you! But I'm also thinking, wait a minute, he's not even a Christian. Well, I don't even think it was a week later he announced he accepted Christ as his Savior! Such joyous news!
I'm sure there were other significant things along the way that I am failing to think of at this moment. I've never been more glad for a semester to be over, but at least it ended on a good note.
Friday, April 12, 2013
Friend of God
I have to mention the MasterLife Bible study again. Every week there is something that really resonates with me. In the week about fellowship with other believers, it talks about friendship.
"'As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.'" John 15:9, 12-13
The Bible study says, "At the heart of friendship is the willingness to lay down one's life if necessary...Jesus laid down His life for others, and later, some of His disciples did, too."
The song I Am A Friend Of God came to mind. You know, "I am a friend of God. I am a friend of God. I am a friend of God. He calls me friend." I thought if we dare to call ourselves friends of God we must be willing to lay our life down for Him as He did for us and as His disciples did for Him.
Then on April 6, I read in the devotional My Utmost for His Highest the following: "The heart of salvation is the Cross of Christ. The reason salvation is so easy to obtain is that is cost God so much."
I love when God works everything together to really drive home a message. Between those two things and the passage of Scripture I've been memorizing, Isaiah 52:13-53:12, I am reminded of and have become increasingly grateful for the sacrifice Christ made. He took my sin and died in my place so that I may know Him and have a relationship with Him and the promise of eternity with Him.
See, my servant will act wisely,
he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.
Just as there were many who were appalled at him-
his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man
he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.
Just as there were many who were appalled at him-
his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man
and his form marred beyond human likeness-
so will he sprinkle many nations,
and kings will shut their mouths because of him.
For what they were not told, they will see,
and what they have not heard, they will understand.
Who has believed out message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
By oppression and judgement he was taken away.
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was stricken.
He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
Yet it was the Lord's will to crush him
and cause him to suffer,
and though the Lord makes his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
Isaiah 52:13- 53:12
so will he sprinkle many nations,
and kings will shut their mouths because of him.
For what they were not told, they will see,
and what they have not heard, they will understand.
Who has believed out message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
By oppression and judgement he was taken away.
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was stricken.
He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
Yet it was the Lord's will to crush him
and cause him to suffer,
and though the Lord makes his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
Isaiah 52:13- 53:12
A Season of Loss
The past few months have been a season of loss. Not all the losses have been death. There have been losses, or almost losses would be a more accurate description, that did not have the finality that death has.
First, there was what I thought was the loss of some friendships. Never having had real problems with friendships before I didn't know to handle this. All I knew was there were some friendships that were simply becoming exhausting. I thought I would be kind of lost without these friendships but didn't know if they were worth the toil. I'm thankful I didn't completely give up. There was prayer. I know I prayed about whether to keep working at the friendship or let it go. Things were talked out. In the end, there were no friendships lost, and I think because of everything they have been made even better. They might occasionally take a little more work, but I think that helps to keep them open and honest.
Then there have been the deaths. There was the loss at Pediatria. Then there was the loss, March 19, of a long time classmate (2nd-12th grade), Anthony. I was in class on Wednesday afternoon (March 20) and decided to take a peek at Facebook. Mistake. That's when I saw someone posted that he had passed, taken his own life. Shock. Not that there are necessarily people I would expect that from, but he is someone nobody would have expected that from. He was always a cheerful guy. In my mind he'll always be the chubby, bashful, humble guy that I knew him as for so many years. Our senior year of high school though he came back from the summer looking like a totally different guy! He didn't just lose weight but was in shape. It was incredible and hard to believe it was still him. It didn't change who he really was though. He was still the same nice guy who was voted Most Courteous (just as he was in 8th grade!).
As I wondered what good could come from Anthony's death, I began to look through my old yearbooks. Sure enough God answered my wondering. Way back in elementary school, in his yearbook photo, he was rocking a WWJD tshirt. And on his senior page he quotes Mark 9:23, "All things are possible, to him that believes." He also gives the Lord credit for taking part in who he is today, "developing my spirit in holiness, preparing for a purpose chosen by God...Loving God above all else"
When I originally began this post a few weeks ago it was because I had a strange dream. I dreamt I was talking with Anthony, and he was upset about something. Someone asked a question or made a comment, and he said his friend killed himself. I don't know how to take a dream like that. I don't read into dreams having meanings or anything but still I just don't about that one.
Death is a hard thing to deal with. While I may not have been super close to either of these people their losses still affected me. Having friends who have lost parents, I don't know how they have handled it. I can't even imagine it and pray I won't have to experience losing someone so close anytime soon. I've had enough deaths for now. Death doesn't care though and "death has no age."
I take comfort in the fact that death is not my end. Something greater awaits me, eternity with my Savior, my Holy Savior. "Holy is the cry that is even now ringing in the heavens to describe Him...He's the God whose holiness is chanted about from the Seraphim even as we speak." I'll never forget reading that in the Bible study Holy Vocabulary by Michael Kelley. As an unsung verse of my favorite hymn, It Is Well With My Soul, says, "The sky, not the grave, is our goal." If you know Christ, how can you not rejoice in that!? I know faith is about way more than warm, fuzzy feelings but I inwardly swell with joy and comfort at that fact, "the sky, not the grave, is our goal." I pray my life can echo Paul's when he said in Philippians 1:21 "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."
One final note, as I previously began this post I just made brief notes in it. One was that Judy, an elephant from the zoo also died recently. It's like the zoo is not complete without her. And now Bozie doesn't have her friend. Yes, I know the elephants by name. Another note I made simply said, "basketball." If anyone has any clue why I made a note of basketball in this post, please let me know.
First, there was what I thought was the loss of some friendships. Never having had real problems with friendships before I didn't know to handle this. All I knew was there were some friendships that were simply becoming exhausting. I thought I would be kind of lost without these friendships but didn't know if they were worth the toil. I'm thankful I didn't completely give up. There was prayer. I know I prayed about whether to keep working at the friendship or let it go. Things were talked out. In the end, there were no friendships lost, and I think because of everything they have been made even better. They might occasionally take a little more work, but I think that helps to keep them open and honest.
Then there have been the deaths. There was the loss at Pediatria. Then there was the loss, March 19, of a long time classmate (2nd-12th grade), Anthony. I was in class on Wednesday afternoon (March 20) and decided to take a peek at Facebook. Mistake. That's when I saw someone posted that he had passed, taken his own life. Shock. Not that there are necessarily people I would expect that from, but he is someone nobody would have expected that from. He was always a cheerful guy. In my mind he'll always be the chubby, bashful, humble guy that I knew him as for so many years. Our senior year of high school though he came back from the summer looking like a totally different guy! He didn't just lose weight but was in shape. It was incredible and hard to believe it was still him. It didn't change who he really was though. He was still the same nice guy who was voted Most Courteous (just as he was in 8th grade!).
As I wondered what good could come from Anthony's death, I began to look through my old yearbooks. Sure enough God answered my wondering. Way back in elementary school, in his yearbook photo, he was rocking a WWJD tshirt. And on his senior page he quotes Mark 9:23, "All things are possible, to him that believes." He also gives the Lord credit for taking part in who he is today, "developing my spirit in holiness, preparing for a purpose chosen by God...Loving God above all else"
When I originally began this post a few weeks ago it was because I had a strange dream. I dreamt I was talking with Anthony, and he was upset about something. Someone asked a question or made a comment, and he said his friend killed himself. I don't know how to take a dream like that. I don't read into dreams having meanings or anything but still I just don't about that one.
Death is a hard thing to deal with. While I may not have been super close to either of these people their losses still affected me. Having friends who have lost parents, I don't know how they have handled it. I can't even imagine it and pray I won't have to experience losing someone so close anytime soon. I've had enough deaths for now. Death doesn't care though and "death has no age."
I take comfort in the fact that death is not my end. Something greater awaits me, eternity with my Savior, my Holy Savior. "Holy is the cry that is even now ringing in the heavens to describe Him...He's the God whose holiness is chanted about from the Seraphim even as we speak." I'll never forget reading that in the Bible study Holy Vocabulary by Michael Kelley. As an unsung verse of my favorite hymn, It Is Well With My Soul, says, "The sky, not the grave, is our goal." If you know Christ, how can you not rejoice in that!? I know faith is about way more than warm, fuzzy feelings but I inwardly swell with joy and comfort at that fact, "the sky, not the grave, is our goal." I pray my life can echo Paul's when he said in Philippians 1:21 "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."
One final note, as I previously began this post I just made brief notes in it. One was that Judy, an elephant from the zoo also died recently. It's like the zoo is not complete without her. And now Bozie doesn't have her friend. Yes, I know the elephants by name. Another note I made simply said, "basketball." If anyone has any clue why I made a note of basketball in this post, please let me know.
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