Tomorrow I hit road again-this time to drive to Johnson City for school. It has been a crazy and wonderful summer, but it's time to get back to work. Kinda weird to think that less than a week ago I was in some mountain village where the majority of the people couldn't read, and in less than a week I'll be in a classroom full of well-read intellectuals.
I heard a great piece of advice the other day: Though the harvest may be full and white and the workers few, you can't harvest with a dull sickle. My sickle needs sharpening which means I will be focusing most of my energy in the ministry of the study of medicine, working with the new Hispanic ministry at Central, and wherever else God leads me. As a result, my blog posting and subsequent blog reading will greatly diminish (not that I'm sure that more than 1-2 of you actually read this.) My phone is always available (don't worry about my minutes) and I do return emails on a more regular basis so feel free to contact me "sin pena."
I hope you all have a great rest of the summer and think about your friend hitting the books this week :o) !
"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:19
7.29.2005
7.27.2005
Saludos desde Smyrna
3 weeks, 3 months or 3 years. I still don't think I would have been ready to leave such a beautiful people and the work God is doing there, but all good things must come to an end and there's a time and a place for everything.
The following is something I wanted to post a few weeks ago but between being sick and being in the middle of nowhere, I never posted it. I'll be writing a missions report about my trip so just let me know if you want a copy.
"The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts: and though its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." -I Corinthians 12:12,27
The following is something I wanted to post a few weeks ago but between being sick and being in the middle of nowhere, I never posted it. I'll be writing a missions report about my trip so just let me know if you want a copy.
The Body of Christ
I think anatomy was one of the hardest classes I've taken but the one that strengthened my faith the most. It seems odd to think that working with a cadaver for a semester has anything to do with spiritual growth, yet through such study I understand how the body works. I've seen how each and every part is connected together and works with every other part to sustain life. Just as we are all different on the outside, we are all different on the inside as well. Every body has its abnormality, its imperfection, yet the body learns to cope and adapt to those eccentricities. There are thousands of different parts of our body: nerves, tissues, vessels, muscles, etc. yet each one has a special place and function. Each part of the body communicates to keep everything running. When there is a weakness in the system-an infection-the immune system sends out special cells and the whole body works to help restore the damaged part-often at the expense of other parts.
And so it should be with the body of Christ. We all have our flaws, our weaknesses, and our different roles and talents that we've been given. At the same time, we each have those abnormalites and functions for a specific God-designed purpose that is meant to be communicated throughout the body so that the body of Christ might be built up and strengthened. Unfortunately, I think oftentimes our communication is blocked by fear of going past the skin-deep "How are you?" and seeing the infection or damage among certain parts of the body. Just as our own body sacrifices for one part when damaged, so we should also supprt our weaker members in love so that the whole body might be strengthened.
"The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts: and though its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." -I Corinthians 12:12,27
7.24.2005
How to Lose 5 Pounds...
..in 5 Days!!!
No I haven't disappeared. I just got attacked by amebic dysentery and Shigellosis all at once last Monday and am just getting over it. I was so excited when I got to eat breakfast this morning without the fear I'd regret it later. Its definitely not an experience I want to repeat and I don't recommend driving to Tikal while sick (but if you do there's a good doctor in Rio Dulce). I guess God is just getting me over any fear of being sick abroad and teaching me to perservere through any situation.
Its been an amazing experience the past few weeks and I know I will dearly miss all the friends I had and the I made here. It's been such a wonderful experience to be a part of God's work, sharing Christ, not religion, with those who need Him most, truly enjoying the presence of my brothers and sisters in Christ and the common love of God.
Since Friday I've been with Health Talents and a group of 50 working in the villages around ChiChicastenango. The poverty here is astounding but the people are so precious and pure, true sheep in need of a shepard. What a blessing it has been to spend three weeks serving our Lord in Guatemala.
No I haven't disappeared. I just got attacked by amebic dysentery and Shigellosis all at once last Monday and am just getting over it. I was so excited when I got to eat breakfast this morning without the fear I'd regret it later. Its definitely not an experience I want to repeat and I don't recommend driving to Tikal while sick (but if you do there's a good doctor in Rio Dulce). I guess God is just getting me over any fear of being sick abroad and teaching me to perservere through any situation.
Its been an amazing experience the past few weeks and I know I will dearly miss all the friends I had and the I made here. It's been such a wonderful experience to be a part of God's work, sharing Christ, not religion, with those who need Him most, truly enjoying the presence of my brothers and sisters in Christ and the common love of God.
Since Friday I've been with Health Talents and a group of 50 working in the villages around ChiChicastenango. The poverty here is astounding but the people are so precious and pure, true sheep in need of a shepard. What a blessing it has been to spend three weeks serving our Lord in Guatemala.
7.13.2005
A Letter from Guatemala
Hola!
It´s been a week since I last wrote and so much has happened since then. I've written and rewritten this trying to capture the wonder and marvel of what God has done, but I simply can´t put it all into a few paragraphs so I'll try to do what I can.
What an awesome God we serve!
The past few days were spent in La Union, Zacapa, one of the poorest departments in an already poor country. How do I begin to describe the incredible love and compassion of God that I have witnessed during the past few days? How do I describe seeing a man with leprosy and thinking about the compassion Christ must have had to reach out and touch this hideous disease and the person suffering from it? How do I describe the love of my friends and brothers and La Union and the hospitality they showed me? How do I describe the wonderful feeling it is to work with people who give 110% to serving the Lord and whose only desire is to be the vessels through which God works to save his people?
Monday Raul, Eybi (the preacher and his wife,) and I woke early and went to the community of Tasharte. For those of you have been to such places as Montaña Izopo and Montaña de la Flor in Honduras, Tasharte is very similar. Since the doctor who was with us Saturday and Sunday had to work Monday, he had already left. Wanting to help the people in some way even though I couldn´t give them medicine, I decided to give them something that would last longer than anything received from a doctor´s visit: education. With Eybi´s help, I taught a class about handwashing and how to make a simple drink that will keep their children from dying of dehydration. I´m a firm believer that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and that educating and empowering people does more than any handout could. To make a long story short, the rest of the day was spent in a devotional, handing out food and clothing, and breaking piñatas with the children.
To look at it, it wasn´t much: an elementary lesson in health, some candy in a couple of piñatas and a few pieces of worn clothing. Yet to these people, it meant so much. It was if it were Christmas and they had just opened the best present in the world. It was all I could do not to cry as I saw the look on the faces of our brothers and sisters in Christ. All I could do was offer a million thanks to God and his infinite love and compassion he has for ¨the least of these¨¨and of all the things that He put into place to allow this wonderful event to occur.
Tomorrow I leave for another campaign, 1-2 days of evangelism and 2 days of clinic. I can´t wait. I think I'm beginning to have an inkling of how truly great and immeasurable is the love God has for us.
Por la causa de la cruz,
Michele
¨Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits
who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion.¨ -Psalms 103:2-4
It´s been a week since I last wrote and so much has happened since then. I've written and rewritten this trying to capture the wonder and marvel of what God has done, but I simply can´t put it all into a few paragraphs so I'll try to do what I can.
What an awesome God we serve!
The past few days were spent in La Union, Zacapa, one of the poorest departments in an already poor country. How do I begin to describe the incredible love and compassion of God that I have witnessed during the past few days? How do I describe seeing a man with leprosy and thinking about the compassion Christ must have had to reach out and touch this hideous disease and the person suffering from it? How do I describe the love of my friends and brothers and La Union and the hospitality they showed me? How do I describe the wonderful feeling it is to work with people who give 110% to serving the Lord and whose only desire is to be the vessels through which God works to save his people?
Monday Raul, Eybi (the preacher and his wife,) and I woke early and went to the community of Tasharte. For those of you have been to such places as Montaña Izopo and Montaña de la Flor in Honduras, Tasharte is very similar. Since the doctor who was with us Saturday and Sunday had to work Monday, he had already left. Wanting to help the people in some way even though I couldn´t give them medicine, I decided to give them something that would last longer than anything received from a doctor´s visit: education. With Eybi´s help, I taught a class about handwashing and how to make a simple drink that will keep their children from dying of dehydration. I´m a firm believer that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and that educating and empowering people does more than any handout could. To make a long story short, the rest of the day was spent in a devotional, handing out food and clothing, and breaking piñatas with the children.
To look at it, it wasn´t much: an elementary lesson in health, some candy in a couple of piñatas and a few pieces of worn clothing. Yet to these people, it meant so much. It was if it were Christmas and they had just opened the best present in the world. It was all I could do not to cry as I saw the look on the faces of our brothers and sisters in Christ. All I could do was offer a million thanks to God and his infinite love and compassion he has for ¨the least of these¨¨and of all the things that He put into place to allow this wonderful event to occur.
Tomorrow I leave for another campaign, 1-2 days of evangelism and 2 days of clinic. I can´t wait. I think I'm beginning to have an inkling of how truly great and immeasurable is the love God has for us.
Por la causa de la cruz,
Michele
¨Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits
who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion.¨ -Psalms 103:2-4
7.06.2005
Greetings desde Guatemala
Good afternoon from Guatemala!
I am currently sitting in one of the infamous internet cafes trying to figure out the keyboard.
I arrived here yesterday without problems and have enjoyed every moment since. I cannot express to you what a joy it is to be here and to spend time with such wonderful Christian brothers and sisters such as Nancy and Manuel, two special friends whose great faith and willingness to allow God to use them is such an encouragement to me. It is such a blessing God has given us to have "family" in all parts of the world and to know that though we may be different in our language, culture, or location, we are all united in Christ.
Yesterday Nancy and I attended a women´s Bible study where the topic was the plagues of Egypt and how we each have our own plagues in our life. It reminded me of my own plagues that exist in my life, and how we are, myself included, so concerned about our physical bodies but seem to forget the "plagues" inside each of us.
It is interesting how we´re "religious" when it comes to things to keep our physical body healthy, spending money and time at the gym or on the latest diet, yet we are undisciplined in our spiritual training. Why is it that we don´t hesitate to ask for prayers for someone dying of an infection; however, if that same person were dying from whatever sin is infecting them, we would be so hesitant to petition prayer?
The next few weeks I will see many people suffering from illness as we hold campaigns in Jutiapa and La Union, Guatemala. I ask for your prayers that God not only opens our eyes to the physical needs of the people we encounter, but also that He shows us their spiritual needs as well and gives us strength to overcome any barrier of language, culture, or fear that may keep us from ministering to God´s precious children.
It´s going to be a busy but wonderful three weeks!!!
"Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows." -Isaiah 53:4
I am currently sitting in one of the infamous internet cafes trying to figure out the keyboard.
I arrived here yesterday without problems and have enjoyed every moment since. I cannot express to you what a joy it is to be here and to spend time with such wonderful Christian brothers and sisters such as Nancy and Manuel, two special friends whose great faith and willingness to allow God to use them is such an encouragement to me. It is such a blessing God has given us to have "family" in all parts of the world and to know that though we may be different in our language, culture, or location, we are all united in Christ.
Yesterday Nancy and I attended a women´s Bible study where the topic was the plagues of Egypt and how we each have our own plagues in our life. It reminded me of my own plagues that exist in my life, and how we are, myself included, so concerned about our physical bodies but seem to forget the "plagues" inside each of us.
It is interesting how we´re "religious" when it comes to things to keep our physical body healthy, spending money and time at the gym or on the latest diet, yet we are undisciplined in our spiritual training. Why is it that we don´t hesitate to ask for prayers for someone dying of an infection; however, if that same person were dying from whatever sin is infecting them, we would be so hesitant to petition prayer?
The next few weeks I will see many people suffering from illness as we hold campaigns in Jutiapa and La Union, Guatemala. I ask for your prayers that God not only opens our eyes to the physical needs of the people we encounter, but also that He shows us their spiritual needs as well and gives us strength to overcome any barrier of language, culture, or fear that may keep us from ministering to God´s precious children.
It´s going to be a busy but wonderful three weeks!!!
"Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows." -Isaiah 53:4
7.03.2005
Pictures!
Cammie and I somewhere in the Grand Canyon.
Sunset at Hopi Point.
That's all for now. Disfrutenlas!
7.02.2005
Just a Song...
..I've been listening to a lot lately.
I could travel over oceans, cross the deserts, climb the mountains
Just to share Your story, bring You glory, and win souls for You.
I could sing like an angel, songs so humble and so thankful
Full of drama and emotion, so the world would know Your truth.
I could give away my money and my clothes and my food
To restore those people who are poor, and lost, and down-and-out.
I could succeed at all these things,
Find favor with peasants and kings,
But if I do not love, I am nothing.
I could live a flawless life,
Never cheat or steal or lie,
And always speak so kindly, smile warmly, and go about doing good.
I could dedicate myself to do what everyone else wants me to-
Listen to them, compliment them, say the things I should.
I could show up every Sunday, lead the choir and Bible study
And they all might come to know me as a leader and a friend.
Oh, I could achieve success on Earth, but success cannot define my worth
And all these actions, all these words, will not matter in the end-
Songs will fade to silence,
Stories, they will cease.
The dust will settle, covering all my selfless deeds.
So as I strive to serve You,
Won't you make it clear to me,
That if I do not love, I am nothing.
And if I cannot live my life loving my brother,
Then how can I love the One who lived His life for me?
Sent to Earth from Heaven,
Humble Servant, Holy King,
Come to share a story, get no glory, and save my searching soul,
You knew that I'd deny You, crucify You, but nothing could stop You
from living for me, dying for me,
so that I would know-
That songs will fade to silence,
Stories they will cease,
The dust will settle covering all my selfless deeds.
But Your life here has made it clear enough for me to see
That if I do not love, I am nothing.
I could travel over oceans, cross the deserts, climb the mountains
Just to share Your story, bring You glory, and win souls for You.
I could sing like an angel, songs so humble and so thankful
Full of drama and emotion, so the world would know Your truth.
I could give away my money and my clothes and my food
To restore those people who are poor, and lost, and down-and-out.
I could succeed at all these things,
Find favor with peasants and kings,
But if I do not love, I am nothing.
I could live a flawless life,
Never cheat or steal or lie,
And always speak so kindly, smile warmly, and go about doing good.
I could dedicate myself to do what everyone else wants me to-
Listen to them, compliment them, say the things I should.
I could show up every Sunday, lead the choir and Bible study
And they all might come to know me as a leader and a friend.
Oh, I could achieve success on Earth, but success cannot define my worth
And all these actions, all these words, will not matter in the end-
Songs will fade to silence,
Stories, they will cease.
The dust will settle, covering all my selfless deeds.
So as I strive to serve You,
Won't you make it clear to me,
That if I do not love, I am nothing.
And if I cannot live my life loving my brother,
Then how can I love the One who lived His life for me?
Sent to Earth from Heaven,
Humble Servant, Holy King,
Come to share a story, get no glory, and save my searching soul,
You knew that I'd deny You, crucify You, but nothing could stop You
from living for me, dying for me,
so that I would know-
That songs will fade to silence,
Stories they will cease,
The dust will settle covering all my selfless deeds.
But Your life here has made it clear enough for me to see
That if I do not love, I am nothing.
-Ginny Owens
6.28.2005
One Week
One week until I leave for Guatemala. One week until I begin the journey that I have been looking forward to, though didn't know it, since the day I stepped off the plane last July. Many things have changed in that year and my glasses aren't so rose-tinted; I just hope my heart for the work and the people haven't changed. It will be a bittersweet trip-no trip to Honduras for the first time in years. My friends have been emailing me asking when I will return; I have to answer them "I don't know." It was my brothers/sisters/friends in Honduras that truly taught me what it was to live the life of a Christian and what it means to be a part of the family of God. Their unwilling devotion to the causes of Christ taught me it's not about saying "I'm a Christian. A member of the (insert favorite political party here) and actively involved in my community and church committees." Rather, it's about living a pure life of sacrificial love and a life whose purpose is to show Christ to everyone, taking that next step even when one doesn't know where that next step leads.
But I'm rambling as usual. I'm looking forward to Guatemala and what it holds whatever and wherever in Guatemala that may be. You could say I don't exactly know my itinerary but then do I ever know? I suppose this will be a week of preparation and prayer for me. I ask for your prayers too:
That I am open and willing to do whatever God asks of me
That he will open the hearts of the people we encounter
That language and cultural values will not be a barrier in sharing God's love with others
That He gives us all strength and courage to face whatever we encounter
Thanks for your prayers. I know the previous trips would have not been what they were without them. More to come later...
But I'm rambling as usual. I'm looking forward to Guatemala and what it holds whatever and wherever in Guatemala that may be. You could say I don't exactly know my itinerary but then do I ever know? I suppose this will be a week of preparation and prayer for me. I ask for your prayers too:
That I am open and willing to do whatever God asks of me
That he will open the hearts of the people we encounter
That language and cultural values will not be a barrier in sharing God's love with others
That He gives us all strength and courage to face whatever we encounter
Thanks for your prayers. I know the previous trips would have not been what they were without them. More to come later...
6.24.2005
Kingman, Arizona
So I'm finally back from my epic roadtrip that ended a few days early (long story.) Let's just say that Southern Utah and Colorado will have to be seen on another trip (spring break anyone?) If given the chance, I think everyone should hit the road for a few days and explore a part of our country they haven't seen. It gives one an appreciation for the vastness and diversity that exists under the stars and stripes.
It was an amazing to camp in the Grand Canyon for three nights and days. I remember waking up one night and peeping my head out of our tent door like some little kid spying on mom putting "Santa's gifts" under the Christmas tree. What I saw were stars-thousands of tiny scintillations decorating the night-blackened sky. Do we even have that many stars in the sky here in Tennessee? I must have sat there in awe just gazing into the blackness until I realized that my tentmate might not like drafts of 40 degree night air joining us in our tent. Then there was the experience of Cammie and I watching the sun set at Hopi point with people from all around the world, each of us unsuccessfully in our own language trying to describe the transformation of the canyon's colors as each butte paid homage to the dying golden light before fading into the obscurity of evening.
Of course, anyone knows that a roadtrip is just as much about the journey as it is about the destination which leads me to an interesting story that happened to us in Kingman, Arizona:
The incident would have never happened except that I'm allergic to the Grand Canyon or to my tent or maybe just to the state of Arizona in general. Sunday morning Cammie and I awoke early and packed up our tent so that we could make it to Las Vegas in time to check into our hotel at go to church. Yes, I'm quite aware of the irony of the previous statement, but we had plans to go to church in Vegas that night. We ate breakfast at a local coffee shop and started our drive to Las Vegas.
As we descended in altitude, the pressure in my ears correspondingly increased. My left ear adjusted to the pressure changes but my right ear just wouldn't "pop." I tried everything to make it pop: Swallowing, chewing gum, taking Sudafed, holding my nose and blowing, saying the names of all my relatives 5 times backwards (ok so maybe not this one.) Nothing worked. Two hours later we were on one of those stretches of interstate that have the sign "No services for the next 65 miles" and my ear felt like someone was jabbing an ice pick into the canal. I've never experienced an ice pick being jabbed into my ear nor do I think that such a device would fit; however, I am certain that if such a thing could happen, it would feel just like the pain I was experiencing. Something had to be done.
About this time, we arrived at Kingman, Arizona and Cammie stopped for gas. The only time I had ever heard of Kingman, Arizona was in the famous song about the mother road, Route 66. While Cammie was trying to pump gas into the car, I ran in and asked the attendant where the nearest walk-in clinic or hospital was. Looking at me like I was slightly retarded the attendant replied that the nearest hospital was across the street. I walked out of the gas station and beheld a wonderful sight: on the other side of the street the large sign saying "Emergency Department." We drove across the street where I checked myself in. I must say, I felt somewhat silly signing my chief complaint as "right ear won't pop." It was if I had written "nasal laceration from hot dog injury." Fortunately, un-popping of right ears is high on the triage list because I was in and out of the busy ER within an hour and a half. Unfortunately, it wasn't high enough on the triage list to be seen by a physician, rather by a PA. We had a somewhat interesting and not so productive visit as shared below (my thoughts interjected):
PA: So how are you today?
Me: I should respond with fine, but if I were fine then I wouldn't be spending time visiting the ER. Good...I guess...
PA: So I see your "right ear won't pop?"
Me: Actually, my friend and I have been camping in the Grand Canyon for a few days, and my sinuses have been bothering me. This morning...
PA: (interrupting) Let me just look in your ear (looks in ear.) You seem to have a slight infection in your right ear. I'm going to give you a prescription for an antibiotic and a nasal spray.
Me: Ok. Thanks.....and what should I do for the pain and to make my right ear pop?
PA: You can try some Sudafed. You can purchase it at the drugstore.
Me: Are you kidding me? So you're telling me I could have saved lots of time and money by picking up another box of Sudafed? Tried it.
PA: Well...Sudafed's not a magic pill. It may take it a few times to work... I'm just going to listen to your heart and lungs before you go. If you have any further problems, I'd see your regular doctor.
Me: Apparently she didn't take Dr.Eason's physical exam course. I think the exam is supposed to come before the diagnosis. Does she realize that my primary care doctor is 2000 miles away? Ok. Well, thanks for your help.
I went to Walgreen's nearby and picked up my prescriptions (another long story) my right ear still unpopped. An hour and a half later and almost 6 hours since the initial pain, my ear finally popped about the time we were stuck in traffic driving over one of the engineering wonders of the world. I guess I shouldn't complain too much. The little girl in the room next door had (no joke) rocks in her ears.
So that's my experience with the famed Kingman, Arizona. Sometimes the journey is just as interesting as the destination.
It was an amazing to camp in the Grand Canyon for three nights and days. I remember waking up one night and peeping my head out of our tent door like some little kid spying on mom putting "Santa's gifts" under the Christmas tree. What I saw were stars-thousands of tiny scintillations decorating the night-blackened sky. Do we even have that many stars in the sky here in Tennessee? I must have sat there in awe just gazing into the blackness until I realized that my tentmate might not like drafts of 40 degree night air joining us in our tent. Then there was the experience of Cammie and I watching the sun set at Hopi point with people from all around the world, each of us unsuccessfully in our own language trying to describe the transformation of the canyon's colors as each butte paid homage to the dying golden light before fading into the obscurity of evening.
Of course, anyone knows that a roadtrip is just as much about the journey as it is about the destination which leads me to an interesting story that happened to us in Kingman, Arizona:
The incident would have never happened except that I'm allergic to the Grand Canyon or to my tent or maybe just to the state of Arizona in general. Sunday morning Cammie and I awoke early and packed up our tent so that we could make it to Las Vegas in time to check into our hotel at go to church. Yes, I'm quite aware of the irony of the previous statement, but we had plans to go to church in Vegas that night. We ate breakfast at a local coffee shop and started our drive to Las Vegas.
As we descended in altitude, the pressure in my ears correspondingly increased. My left ear adjusted to the pressure changes but my right ear just wouldn't "pop." I tried everything to make it pop: Swallowing, chewing gum, taking Sudafed, holding my nose and blowing, saying the names of all my relatives 5 times backwards (ok so maybe not this one.) Nothing worked. Two hours later we were on one of those stretches of interstate that have the sign "No services for the next 65 miles" and my ear felt like someone was jabbing an ice pick into the canal. I've never experienced an ice pick being jabbed into my ear nor do I think that such a device would fit; however, I am certain that if such a thing could happen, it would feel just like the pain I was experiencing. Something had to be done.
About this time, we arrived at Kingman, Arizona and Cammie stopped for gas. The only time I had ever heard of Kingman, Arizona was in the famous song about the mother road, Route 66. While Cammie was trying to pump gas into the car, I ran in and asked the attendant where the nearest walk-in clinic or hospital was. Looking at me like I was slightly retarded the attendant replied that the nearest hospital was across the street. I walked out of the gas station and beheld a wonderful sight: on the other side of the street the large sign saying "Emergency Department." We drove across the street where I checked myself in. I must say, I felt somewhat silly signing my chief complaint as "right ear won't pop." It was if I had written "nasal laceration from hot dog injury." Fortunately, un-popping of right ears is high on the triage list because I was in and out of the busy ER within an hour and a half. Unfortunately, it wasn't high enough on the triage list to be seen by a physician, rather by a PA. We had a somewhat interesting and not so productive visit as shared below (my thoughts interjected):
PA: So how are you today?
Me: I should respond with fine, but if I were fine then I wouldn't be spending time visiting the ER. Good...I guess...
PA: So I see your "right ear won't pop?"
Me: Actually, my friend and I have been camping in the Grand Canyon for a few days, and my sinuses have been bothering me. This morning...
PA: (interrupting) Let me just look in your ear (looks in ear.) You seem to have a slight infection in your right ear. I'm going to give you a prescription for an antibiotic and a nasal spray.
Me: Ok. Thanks.....and what should I do for the pain and to make my right ear pop?
PA: You can try some Sudafed. You can purchase it at the drugstore.
Me: Are you kidding me? So you're telling me I could have saved lots of time and money by picking up another box of Sudafed? Tried it.
PA: Well...Sudafed's not a magic pill. It may take it a few times to work... I'm just going to listen to your heart and lungs before you go. If you have any further problems, I'd see your regular doctor.
Me: Apparently she didn't take Dr.Eason's physical exam course. I think the exam is supposed to come before the diagnosis. Does she realize that my primary care doctor is 2000 miles away? Ok. Well, thanks for your help.
I went to Walgreen's nearby and picked up my prescriptions (another long story) my right ear still unpopped. An hour and a half later and almost 6 hours since the initial pain, my ear finally popped about the time we were stuck in traffic driving over one of the engineering wonders of the world. I guess I shouldn't complain too much. The little girl in the room next door had (no joke) rocks in her ears.
So that's my experience with the famed Kingman, Arizona. Sometimes the journey is just as interesting as the destination.
6.23.2005
Thanks
I just wanted to thank you for your prayers the past few weeks. My grandfather has made remarkable improvement, from coding in the hospital a few weeks ago to sitting up in a chair and talking with my mom last night. He's in a nursing home right now, and I'm not sure when/if he'll be able to come home seeing as how my grandma isn't in much better health than he. I suppose all things will continue to work out the way the Lord wills them.
After 2000 miles and 3 days on the road I'm home a few days early from a crazy and interesting trip out west. More to come on that when I've had time to recover from spending the majority of the past few days in the seat of a car watching I-40 fly by. It's been a crazy few weeks for the Gourley household. Gotta love the crooks and curves of life's road!
After 2000 miles and 3 days on the road I'm home a few days early from a crazy and interesting trip out west. More to come on that when I've had time to recover from spending the majority of the past few days in the seat of a car watching I-40 fly by. It's been a crazy few weeks for the Gourley household. Gotta love the crooks and curves of life's road!
6.12.2005
Quick Request
If you could keep my 86 year old grandfather and my family (especially my mom) in your prayers, I'd appreciate it. My grandfather's been in and out of ICU at the hospital the past few days and I'm about to leave for a road trip out west for a few weeks though it looks like my trip may get cut short. I guess during times like these you just have to have faith that everything will work out the way it should. Thanks for your prayers.
6.09.2005
A Week Out West
I was supposed to go with Mom and Dad to hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir rehearse tonight. Instead, I'm waiting in my hotel room for a phone call from Guatemala to finalize plans for next month's trip. I thought I'd post a summary of the past few days, but then I realized, "How do you summarize a week of memories and unforgettable moments?" How do you describe one of the best worship services on a Sunday morning in a small town in Idaho, the peaceful setting of an agrarian community, the feeling upon seeing those snow-covered rocky sentinels surrounding a placid mountain lake, the sounds of solitude when the only visible man-made thing is the trail in front of you, or the wonder of a myriad of different bubbling waters erupting from the ground?
There's something about being among such grandiose creations that calms the worries in your soul and causes you to realize that your problems and fears are trivial in the grand scheme of life. It has been a joyful week of picking up all those little pieces of my life that have gotten lost on the wayside the past few years and remembering to savor the small surprises found in every day.
I thought I'd share a few pictiures from the past week:
Magic Valley Christian College
The site of the building where my dad used to live at MVCC in the quaint and dying town of Albion, Idaho.
Caution: Slow Moving Vehicles
One of our many encounters with wildlife while at Yellowstone. At last count, we'd seen buffalo, elk, big horn sheep, buffalo, swans, bald eagles, buffalo, black bear, grizzly cubs, buffalo, geese, yellow-bellied marmots, ground squirrels, and numerous species of birds. Did I mention that we saw buffalo?
The Great Divide
Yes, that's snow in the background! It was freezing cold most of our visit which sent me scrambling to the store for a hat and wearing every bit of semi-warm clothing I'd brought (the weather man said it'd be 60 degrees-can't trust weathermen.)
Clepsydra Geyser
One of the many wonders of our nation's first national park.
Grand Tetons
This picture was taken from Jackson Lake. It certainly doesn't portray the imcomprable beauty of these lofty peaks.
What can I say? The West is a beautiful place. I wonder if they'll need an MD in a few years?
There's something about being among such grandiose creations that calms the worries in your soul and causes you to realize that your problems and fears are trivial in the grand scheme of life. It has been a joyful week of picking up all those little pieces of my life that have gotten lost on the wayside the past few years and remembering to savor the small surprises found in every day.
I thought I'd share a few pictiures from the past week:
Magic Valley Christian College
The site of the building where my dad used to live at MVCC in the quaint and dying town of Albion, Idaho.
Caution: Slow Moving Vehicles
One of our many encounters with wildlife while at Yellowstone. At last count, we'd seen buffalo, elk, big horn sheep, buffalo, swans, bald eagles, buffalo, black bear, grizzly cubs, buffalo, geese, yellow-bellied marmots, ground squirrels, and numerous species of birds. Did I mention that we saw buffalo?
The Great Divide
Yes, that's snow in the background! It was freezing cold most of our visit which sent me scrambling to the store for a hat and wearing every bit of semi-warm clothing I'd brought (the weather man said it'd be 60 degrees-can't trust weathermen.)
Clepsydra Geyser
One of the many wonders of our nation's first national park.
Grand Tetons
This picture was taken from Jackson Lake. It certainly doesn't portray the imcomprable beauty of these lofty peaks.
What can I say? The West is a beautiful place. I wonder if they'll need an MD in a few years?
6.02.2005
Blog on a Break
Last night was one of those deja vu moments. As we boarded the bus in the rain to traverse the city on our prayer campaign, I was sharply reminded of Tuesday nights in Honduras. You see, most Tuesday nights some of the Baxter students and myself would meet at the clinic to catch the church bus in the rain (it always rains at night in Honduras) to go to church. There we would spend the hour in small prayer groups praying for whatever was on our hearts or sharing how God answered our prayers the week before. It was a fond recollection as the church in Smyrna rode the bus(es) together last night and gathered in prayer.
Due to the overwhelming demands I have made on my blog, it has decided that it needs a vacation. Besides, I don't think that towns with populations of less than 300 people nor the vast wilderness of the national parks provide ready access to the internet. Therefore, it is unlikely that you'll be hearing from me for the next week or so. However, I will have my cell phone with me should it work or you can try to reach me by homing pigeon (I hear they find Old Faithful quite delightful.)
Trite as it may seem, I ask for your prayers for our safety and that everything goes smoothly the next week. I hope you all have a wonderful week wherever you may be!!!
Due to the overwhelming demands I have made on my blog, it has decided that it needs a vacation. Besides, I don't think that towns with populations of less than 300 people nor the vast wilderness of the national parks provide ready access to the internet. Therefore, it is unlikely that you'll be hearing from me for the next week or so. However, I will have my cell phone with me should it work or you can try to reach me by homing pigeon (I hear they find Old Faithful quite delightful.)
Trite as it may seem, I ask for your prayers for our safety and that everything goes smoothly the next week. I hope you all have a wonderful week wherever you may be!!!
5.31.2005
Around the Town
Mom and I went shopping yesterday. Even though I'd only been gone for a period of months, this county is growing so fast that several times I had to ask her for directions to familiar locations. I remember when there were more cow fields in Smyrna than surburbs, and Nissan was the biggest employer. Now it's hard to find a cow, but subdivisions seems to be sprouting daily like unwanted weeds in a summer flowerbed. Even next door I'm forced to face the change. The verdant rolling hills of pasture that were my playground have now been replaced by mounds of dirt in the name of progress. Alongside the driveway that led to my grandparents' house, and the gravel track of many races of my cousins and me (Jim you always beat me), now stand a sentinel of bulldozers and other mechanical behemoths. All this construction and all this progress mean one thing: all kinds of people are moving into Smyrna including people seeking a Savior.
The leaders at church have also noted this influx, and Sunday they told us that Wednesday we'd be doing our part to minister to our new neighbors. So tomorrow night we will be loading our cars and headed out around the city to pray for her and her new inhabitants, to pray for ways to reach out to her occupants and to pray that our lights may shine. It's so wonderful to not be focusing on telling people what's wrong with Christianity, and instead, to be focusing on telling people what's right with Christ. I had never thought about praying for a city, yet Christ did that very thing. Upon a trip back to Jerusalem he saw the city and wept. I imagine that He wept for all those lost souls searching for salvation, hurting from life's burdens. I remember driving back one night from San Pedro Sula to Tegucigalpa, Honduras. I remember seeing the hills lit up with thousands of twinkling lights, each its own Christmas tree, but I did not weep for the city.
Maybe I should start praying for those "Jerusalems" I've encountered: for Johnson City and the thousands of students on campus seeking out the meaning of life, for Knoxville, for Smyrna, for Tegucigalpa, for Chicacao, Guatemala, and the list could go on and on.
So tomorrow night I'll be out somewhere around Smyrna praying. If you happen to live here, know that you are being prayed for. If you live somewhere else, use this as an opportunity to pray for that somewhere else. Prayer is a powerful thing and you can never do it enough.
The leaders at church have also noted this influx, and Sunday they told us that Wednesday we'd be doing our part to minister to our new neighbors. So tomorrow night we will be loading our cars and headed out around the city to pray for her and her new inhabitants, to pray for ways to reach out to her occupants and to pray that our lights may shine. It's so wonderful to not be focusing on telling people what's wrong with Christianity, and instead, to be focusing on telling people what's right with Christ. I had never thought about praying for a city, yet Christ did that very thing. Upon a trip back to Jerusalem he saw the city and wept. I imagine that He wept for all those lost souls searching for salvation, hurting from life's burdens. I remember driving back one night from San Pedro Sula to Tegucigalpa, Honduras. I remember seeing the hills lit up with thousands of twinkling lights, each its own Christmas tree, but I did not weep for the city.
Maybe I should start praying for those "Jerusalems" I've encountered: for Johnson City and the thousands of students on campus seeking out the meaning of life, for Knoxville, for Smyrna, for Tegucigalpa, for Chicacao, Guatemala, and the list could go on and on.
So tomorrow night I'll be out somewhere around Smyrna praying. If you happen to live here, know that you are being prayed for. If you live somewhere else, use this as an opportunity to pray for that somewhere else. Prayer is a powerful thing and you can never do it enough.
5.28.2005
"What's Playing at the Roxy?"
So I finally went to see Star Wars. My cousin had been wanting to see it so I agreed to see it with him tonight. It met my expectations though it is a much darker film than the previous four. I won't give away the story line, but it reminded me of how powerful evil can be, especially when we let our own pride and priorities take precedence over our calling. On a brighter note, Disney is releasing a movie version of one of my favorite childhood books, C.S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The movie promises to be every bit as creative and unique as my imagination envisioned the book to be some years ago.
Unfortunately, tonight happened to be Lebanon's annual "Slammin and Jammin" event aka an opportunity for every redneck to come out of the local communities and towns, like cockroaches out of the cracks in the walls at night, for the purpose of displaying their low riders and sports cars with shiny blue flames emblazoned on the side. I regretfully forgot to bring my nun's habit to wear as I was driving down "the strip" trying to get home. Needless to say, the exit for I-40 didn't come a yard too soon. What was appalling was all the young girls running around with the much older proud owners of the vehicles. It still amazes me that parents take such little interest in their precious children's lives to permit them to behave in such a way. Maybe I'm just an old fogey.
Only a week until I fly Northwest. Hopefully, I won't have encounters with such uncouth individuals. If I do, maybe I'll just have to have my own line of redneck show cars. I'll call it, "Customs for Christ" and instead of throwing Mardi Gras beads out the window and whistling cat calls, maybe I'll shout "Jesus Loves You," and hand out flyers to a local revival. Ok maybe not. It's late. I should probably sleep. Thanks for reading another one of my stream-of-consciousness posts.
Unfortunately, tonight happened to be Lebanon's annual "Slammin and Jammin" event aka an opportunity for every redneck to come out of the local communities and towns, like cockroaches out of the cracks in the walls at night, for the purpose of displaying their low riders and sports cars with shiny blue flames emblazoned on the side. I regretfully forgot to bring my nun's habit to wear as I was driving down "the strip" trying to get home. Needless to say, the exit for I-40 didn't come a yard too soon. What was appalling was all the young girls running around with the much older proud owners of the vehicles. It still amazes me that parents take such little interest in their precious children's lives to permit them to behave in such a way. Maybe I'm just an old fogey.
Only a week until I fly Northwest. Hopefully, I won't have encounters with such uncouth individuals. If I do, maybe I'll just have to have my own line of redneck show cars. I'll call it, "Customs for Christ" and instead of throwing Mardi Gras beads out the window and whistling cat calls, maybe I'll shout "Jesus Loves You," and hand out flyers to a local revival. Ok maybe not. It's late. I should probably sleep. Thanks for reading another one of my stream-of-consciousness posts.
5.26.2005
Pearls of Wisdom from a former M1
After many tests the past few weeks and much activity and travel the past few days, I can finally say I'm done, I'm home, and I'm officially to be called "M2." It's a wonderful feeling though sometimes I still feel like I'm just on a break and that the craziness starts back in a few days. Spending 6 or more hours on the road the past two days (I took a few detours) has given me lots of time to think about the past year of my life and what exactly I learned as an M1. Enjoy!
1. When they said medical school was hard, they were right. Medical school is hard.
2. Buying 3 inch binders is a good idea.
3. Joining student interest groups is a good way to cut your food budget in half.
4. The speed limit on campus is 20mph. Repeat: the speed limit on campus is 20mph
5. Cadaver Ball has nothing to do with cadavers.
6. "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven," including studying.
7. Even though you may be wearing a white coat and say that you attend medical school, people will still ask you, "So are you going to be a doctor or a nurse?"
8. Chocolate cake with the girls makes everything better.
9. Despite being medical school nerds, we still know how to play a little football.
10. Through prayer and faith, God can take even your most obscure talent and weave it into His perfect plan.
11. An open heart and an open mind open doors to many opportunities.
12. Movie nights and pizza after exams are a requirement.
13. Once a Vol, always a Vol
14. Cell and Tissue is a lot more fun on the "big screen."
15. Prayer is a powerful thing; be careful of what you pray for because it just might happen.
16. God never gives us more than we can bear, but sometimes He weighs us down enough to bring us to our knees.
17. There is life outside of medical school, albeit a small one.
18. I still don't know anything.
19. Appalachia is pronounced "Appa-lat-chuh" not "Appa-lay-shuh"
20. Johnson City drivers are worse than Knoxville drivers but better than Honduran drivers.
21. I will never be a perfect physician. I only need to remember to refer my patients to the one who was.
22. "Air goes in and out. Blood goes round and round."
23. Professors aren't scary monsters.
24. Skipping class can be good for your grade.
25. It is possible to survive the first year of medical school.
1. When they said medical school was hard, they were right. Medical school is hard.
2. Buying 3 inch binders is a good idea.
3. Joining student interest groups is a good way to cut your food budget in half.
4. The speed limit on campus is 20mph. Repeat: the speed limit on campus is 20mph
5. Cadaver Ball has nothing to do with cadavers.
6. "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven," including studying.
7. Even though you may be wearing a white coat and say that you attend medical school, people will still ask you, "So are you going to be a doctor or a nurse?"
8. Chocolate cake with the girls makes everything better.
9. Despite being medical school nerds, we still know how to play a little football.
10. Through prayer and faith, God can take even your most obscure talent and weave it into His perfect plan.
11. An open heart and an open mind open doors to many opportunities.
12. Movie nights and pizza after exams are a requirement.
13. Once a Vol, always a Vol
14. Cell and Tissue is a lot more fun on the "big screen."
15. Prayer is a powerful thing; be careful of what you pray for because it just might happen.
16. God never gives us more than we can bear, but sometimes He weighs us down enough to bring us to our knees.
17. There is life outside of medical school, albeit a small one.
18. I still don't know anything.
19. Appalachia is pronounced "Appa-lat-chuh" not "Appa-lay-shuh"
20. Johnson City drivers are worse than Knoxville drivers but better than Honduran drivers.
21. I will never be a perfect physician. I only need to remember to refer my patients to the one who was.
22. "Air goes in and out. Blood goes round and round."
23. Professors aren't scary monsters.
24. Skipping class can be good for your grade.
25. It is possible to survive the first year of medical school.
5.23.2005
Pictures and Print
While my parents were in town this past weekend, we found ourselves out running errands. Since I actually have time to read something besides pages of notes about cholesterol synthesis and degradation, a stop at Barnes and Nobles was a must. After viewing the newest must-haves and surveying the store, I was drawn to the travel section, particularly to the books about local culture. I scanned a few paragraphs about Sneedville's famed Melungeons and then picked up another book about 50 day hikes in Southern Virginia. On the top rack were a number of photography books about Appalachia and the region. Curious, I opened one up to the middle and began looking at the pictures. What I saw astonished me. These pictures of rural Appalachia could have almost been pulled from the landscapes of Central America. In particular, one picture burned an imprint on my mind. It was the inside of a house, if you could call it a house. The walls were constructed of degrading weatherboard painted a soft blue green, like a robin's egg. On them hung icons of the Christ and Mary cradling the infant Jesus surrounding a larger picture, presumably of a loved one. Below the walls sat a simple wrought-iron frame bed with a feather-stuffed mattress. An elderly lady sat in the middle of the bed; squat and stolid in her expression. Simple cotton garments hung from her elderly frame. The lines of poverty had worn deep furrows in her brow, leathery from years of work out in the hot sun. I looked in the back of the book to see when this picture was taken: 1998 and less than fifty miles from where I sit tonight.
In a few brief moments, this book of photographs had given me a deeper and more complete perspective of a culture than any Tennessee history book I studied in grade school ever did. Why is it that a piece of paper with colors and lines formed in the shape of the human countenance evoke such emotion, such thought? Why is it that an image will be forever ingrained in my memory while I can't remember two sentences from a book I read last night?
The photography book inspired me to re-read Let Us Now Praise Famous Men, a collaborative work by James Agee and Walker Evans. Walker Evans didn't write a single word yet his contribution is just as great, if not greater, as Agee's. Prefacing the four hundred pages that follow are fifty or so photos. With careful study, those fifty photographs unfold the entire story that Agee would become famous for writing.
So why is it "a picture is worth a 1000 words?" Why is it that the written word fails to capture the observed image? Maybe I should refrain from using words and just post pictures to my blog. Below are two images which evoke the same emotion and interest as the photograph of the Appalachian woman. Words aren't sufficient to describe them so I won't even make the attempt. All I can say is their date and location: 2003, Montaña de la Flor, Honduras.
Just some ponderings about pictures and my inability to convey what I see by what I write.
In a few brief moments, this book of photographs had given me a deeper and more complete perspective of a culture than any Tennessee history book I studied in grade school ever did. Why is it that a piece of paper with colors and lines formed in the shape of the human countenance evoke such emotion, such thought? Why is it that an image will be forever ingrained in my memory while I can't remember two sentences from a book I read last night?
The photography book inspired me to re-read Let Us Now Praise Famous Men, a collaborative work by James Agee and Walker Evans. Walker Evans didn't write a single word yet his contribution is just as great, if not greater, as Agee's. Prefacing the four hundred pages that follow are fifty or so photos. With careful study, those fifty photographs unfold the entire story that Agee would become famous for writing.
So why is it "a picture is worth a 1000 words?" Why is it that the written word fails to capture the observed image? Maybe I should refrain from using words and just post pictures to my blog. Below are two images which evoke the same emotion and interest as the photograph of the Appalachian woman. Words aren't sufficient to describe them so I won't even make the attempt. All I can say is their date and location: 2003, Montaña de la Flor, Honduras.
Just some ponderings about pictures and my inability to convey what I see by what I write.
5.19.2005
Off the Beaten Path
What do thirty-three miles, eight wheels, and four medical students equal?
One great adventure.
As a well-deserved reward for completing our first year of medical school, some of my classmates and I decided to bike the Virginia Creeper Trail today. The day started early with a motly group of exam-wearied students: Hannah, who spent most of her life in Ethiopia; Chris, the thirty year old Memphian; Kyoo, the judo fighter, and myself. We met our shuttle at Abingdon, loaded our bikes, and rode up to the top of the trail. The drive was nice and reminded me of the convoluted highways of Honduras, minus the tropical foilage and "loco" bus drivers trying to pass two-abreast on blind curves. We knew we were entering a rural section of Virginia when we started noticing town names such as "Mouth of Wilson" and "Voldey" on the road signs. When we reached an old railroad station between the middle-of-nowhere and a Christmas tree farm, our guide stopped the van and unloaded our bikes, leaving us on our own to pedal the thirty-three miles back to Abingdon.
Wondering what we had gotten ourselves into, having never ridden for thirty-three miles, we started down the trail. The first seventeen miles were all downhill, literally. There's something about being in God's creation that's good for the ones He created. As we rode, the stress of constantly studying since January blew away like the gentle Virginia mountain breeze around me. Rhodedendron lined the path, and bright crimson, yellow, and lavender-colored flowers were on the ground beneath. On one side of the trail, Laurel Creek quietly gurgled and poured over limestone rocks while stands of hemlock and oak and cut-out rock walls defined the other side of the trail and the Mt.Rogers Wilderness Area. Occasionally, we would ride through fields and be greeted by an elderly lady sitting on the front porch of her farmhouse or by a man, knee deep in water, intent on improving his fly-fishing abilities.
Just in time, we rode into Damascus and stopped at a local mom and pop restuarant that sold sandwiches, baked-goods, and other sundries. It was a welcome relief. We spent time enjoyng each others' company and refraining from mentioning anything about the past four months of our lives (well, there were a few comments like, "My insulin and glucagon are working at the same time," made by Kyoo as she tried to ride her bicycle and eat her ice cream cone at the same time) Remember, we are medical school nerds.
I couldn't have asked for a more perfect day. The temperature was a pleasant seventy-five degrees and the cerulean sky was painted with only a few flecks of clouds. The trail, fairly level, led us through Damascus and then narrowed to a single track surrounded by fields of cattle and the occasional trailer or small frame house. When we reached a field of horses, we considered borrowing one of its inhabitants to assist us in our journey. After brief contemplation, we decided we'd better stay on our bikes.
The trail continued to wind its way toward our destination, leading us over wooden trestles like the one that hovered high over the Holston River. The last seven miles, the trail began a gradual ascent toward Abingdon, and we soon reached the end. We couldn't believe it. we had just ridden thirty-three miles! Tired but thrilled at having just spent a day doing something completely unrelated to the medical field, we paused for a moment and savored our accomplishment. I have to say that we probably felt the same way at having just completed our first year of medical school.
I'll probably be sore tomorrow and remembering the names of all the muscles I've already forgotten exist, but the journey down the Creeper Trail was well worth the effort. So was my first year of medical school. I'm glad summer has finally come.
5.17.2005
Blog on the Road
I've seemed to notice that the number of blogs per week proportionally increases as the days until exams decrease. In a week, I'll be leaving the sleepy, almost-Appalachian city of Johnson City to begin my fun-filled summer in any place but Northeast Tennessee. Here's a preview of where you might see future posts from:
Smyrna, Tennessee: Of course I have to stop by home for a few weeks and see the parents, friends and family, and hear all the local gossip about who's married who and what new restaurant is in town.
Magic Valley, Idaho: In the early 60's my grandparents and their five kids packed up all their belongings and moved from Smyrna to Magic Valley, Idaho. No they weren't condoning the attitude of the 60's and moving to some hippie farm as the name suggests. Rather, my grandfather was helping start Magic Valley Christian College (for those of you who are Stone-Campbell "aficionados" you can look up MVCC in the new encyclopedia). Needless to say, putting a college in the middle of nowhere wasn't the greatest idea, and after less than two years they moved back to Tennessee. However, Dad has always wanted to return to Magic Valley so we're spending a week there as well as taking in some of the nearby attractions of Yellowstone.
Southwest: My friend Cammie and I were spending time together over winter break and realized that neither of us has ventured west of Dallas. This will all change come mid-June when we pack up her car, hit the road, and drive off into the sunset for a few weeks.
Guatemala: Of course a summer isn't complete without paying a visit to Central America. I've been blessed with the opportunity to return again to Guatemala to work with the Los Piñares del Norte church for a few weeks and with Health Talents International for one week. I'm not exactly sure of my itinerary, but God usually changes it to something more wonderful anyways. Vamos a ver.
So there you have it. Should any of you faithful blog readers be in any of these areas, come say hello. If you have any suggestions or random relatives who don't mind housing 2 20-somethings for a night or if you have any suggestions about things out west, let me know. Send me your address and perhaps I'll send you a postcard. For now it's back to the books and wishing it were next week.
5.16.2005
Another Long Week
The first week of medical school had to have been the longest week of my life. I think this week is going to come in a close second. I only have one more week left of my first year of medical school and two more exams, yet it feels like an eternity until Monday comes. Only one week until I am released from this concentration camp of academia and medical minutia.
Was it really just nine months ago when I donned that white coat and entered the swollen womb of a dream deferred?
Only one more week until I earn my freedom of a few months of vacation spent with those who've been there for me: a trip out West with the parents, a roadtrip with Cammie, and three weeks in Central America with my dear friends who always seem to send me an encouraging emails just when I feel like I'm about to slip off the cliff into the abyss of failure.
One more week. Two more tests. Hours of studying. Numbed mind. I can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel. Almost.
Was it really just nine months ago when I donned that white coat and entered the swollen womb of a dream deferred?
Only one more week until I earn my freedom of a few months of vacation spent with those who've been there for me: a trip out West with the parents, a roadtrip with Cammie, and three weeks in Central America with my dear friends who always seem to send me an encouraging emails just when I feel like I'm about to slip off the cliff into the abyss of failure.
One more week. Two more tests. Hours of studying. Numbed mind. I can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel. Almost.
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