Fresh Pair of Eyes

Last year I wrote a blog named Bridge & Sisterhood on 9.21.11.  I was leaving Highlands, NC & was moving to Maumelle, AR at the time.  I wrote about my dear friends that I played bridge with every week.  There were five of us at the time, but now there are four because Charlene pasted away this past November.  I wrote about Charlene 12.9.12.

These ladies are so dear to me.  These friends are the ones that I try to keep in touch with quite frequently, & many times every day on Face Book.  I still call them for prayer, encouragement & advice.

When I left they gave me this beautiful hand cut necklace & earrings.  They wanted me to have something special to remember them by & Highlands, like I could ever forget.  Each stone is hand-cut  made out of picture jasper, spotted jasper, agate & Italian foil glass.  The store where they bought it makes each necklace difference.  So what I'm trying to say is that my necklace was created with care, love & was made unique.

I guess you might see where I'm going with this.  Just like God created each of us in
Ps 139: 13-14.
For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.

I want to go back to friendship.  I see each of their friendships as unique.  They each have a fresh ideas & experiences just like each hand-cut stone in the necklace.

I had several situations that have come up this year.  Besides prayer & searching the scriptures, God has given me friends throughout my life to share with.  Each one has a different mind-set that has fresh perspectives from their own life experiences.  They know the Lord & what He wants for each of us.  I appreciate friends who know me, & won't judge me.  Friends that I can identity with & speak honestly with.

Besides these dear friends that I turn to, I also have a dear childhood friend named Kay Wiggins Adham. Our lives have seemed to run parallel since we were born, & even more so since our fathers died three weeks apart at the end of last year & beginning of this year.  Since then we have been in contact pretty frequently.

One day I had a light-bulb moment.  I was traveling home, & I had so much on my mind.  It dawned on me, instead of just calling my friends, telling them all about my situation, talking it out with them, & asking for prayer; 

what about a fresh pair of eyes to help me truly change my heart. 

Yes, I told Kay all about the situation; yes, we talked it all out; & yes, I asked for prayer; but this time I truly wanted God to change my feelings, to change my heart.  I just didn't want my feelings validated that time.  I wanted to see my wrong, if I was wrong.  From that point on I could tell I was different.  I wanted to be different at the beginning of the conversation.  In fact, the purpose of the conversation was I desired God to change me & to use my friendships as a fresh pair of eyes, heart, & mind to help me see what God wanted me to see in my situation.

I'm grateful.

ann :)

       

Where Is My Focus?

Beginning the first of last June, it has been very busy to say the least.  Here is a little of what we have been through this part of this year: preparing for a move, buying a house, moving (& all the emotion that goes with it), setting up into a new home, enjoying all our children (who lives close by), holidays, death of my Daddy, making several long trips & preparing for my Dental Hygiene Boards for AR.

Two sisters in the Bible that I can identify with are Martha & Mary.  Martha is the busy one, looking to the needs of everyone.  We always find Mary at Jesus' feet drawing from Him.  Well, I have to admit that with all this going on I feel I have been a mixture of these two women.

Since my Daddy's death in January, these last 3 months I have thrown myself into a full-time commitment & totally focused on preparing for THE BOARD.  Trying to find a patient that meets the perfect criteria to take to the Board Exam can blow your mind.  I am very grateful that in preparing for this exam, I have had the opportunity to have the Dental Hygiene School at UAMS to guide me.  I didn't have this advantage when I took the NC Board 2 1/2 yrs ago.

At the beginning of this Board season of my life, again!; I felt that God gave me Ex. 31:1-5.  (see Marinate vs. Faith blog)  Not only have I been claiming these verses, but I have also been bombarding the Throne of Grace with Ps 61:2 & 8; Zech 4:6-7 especially on my clinic days.

Ps 1:2-From the end of the earth I will cry to You,

       When my heart is overwhelmed (I am overwhelmed by this situation);
       Lead me to the rock (Jesus, who) that is higher than I.
    :8-So I will sing praise to Your name forever,
        That I may daily perform my vows (service).

Zech 4:6-So he answered and said to me:
             “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel (me-Ann):
             ‘Not by (your) might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’
             Says the Lord of hosts.
           7-‘Who are you, O great mountain (Board Exam)?
              Before Zerubbabel (Ann) you (it) shall become a plain!
              And he shall bring forth the capstone
              With shouts of “Grace, grace to (over) it!”’”

[PS Statement-These verses were taught at my Women's Retreat this Spring.  If you don't go to Women's Retreat.....GO...!!!]

Now, I have not had a good day in clinic since this journey has begun.  On top of all this, every patient I have examined for this exam, have not totally met the criteria.  Even the Dentist in clinic said, "I could write a book of this subject."  I am grateful that I do have a patient to take to the exam, but I will probably take a hit going into the exam.  In other words, points are already taken off before I even begin the exam.  I almost have to take the exam & be perfect.

The exam is Saturday (Apr. 28th).  This past weekend I had time to regroup.  During these last couple of weeks I have really had a chance to be in God's Word.  Interesting enough Mt 6:25-34 has been coming at me from all sides, even on a beautiful mug that some dear friends gave me months ago.  

In this passage, Jesus mention 3x DO NOT WORRY about...   Well, it finally occurred to me I better take heed.  What really spoke to me was in verse

³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  

What is the kingdom of God you ask?  

Romans 14:17
for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Ouch!!!

Since I have been working on the food issue lately, that didn't help.  But, where God wants me to put my focus is own His righteousness, peace & joy in the Holy Spirit during any situation.

It is time for peace & joy.  He wants me to go into this exam with peace & joy; not after the Board & no matter if I pass or not. 

One thing I have learned through this preparation is becoming aware of where am I getting my significance, my identity.  Knowing Who is my identity & Where my significance comes from gives me peace & joy.

                                   ann :)

cont... Marinade or Faith?

continuation...
I had the opportunity to take a wonderful 2 1/2 weeks trip a few weeks ago back to Highlands, then to Valdosta, GA & on to Atlanta.  I hadn't been back to Highlands since we moved the end of Sept. 2011.  It was great spending time with my Mom but, it was also a bitter sweet time because it was my first time back at home since my Dad past away this past Jan. Going to a Dental Conference to receive many CE credits in Atlanta is always fun.  I learn a lot of information & I have so much fun being with Dr. Dyer's office.  Along the way I got to visit with many wonderful friends & go to a wonderful Women's Retreat.

While in Valdosta I got to visit with one of my dearest friends named Gaye.  We went out to lunch in her new Jaguar.  Boy, did I give her a lot grief about that.  After talking about the families & all our girlie stuff, I began to talk about the woes of taking the Dental Hygiene Boards, again.  The bottom line of that conversation, was the Lord was with me through the NC boards, He will be with me through the AR boards.


Then I began telling her after the joy of passing the boards, I now get to pay over a $1000 to take a course for a week about Dental Hygiene Local Anesthesia.  In other words, I've got to learn how to give shots!!!  Not only do I have to learn how to give a shot, I get to be a guinea pig for someone else for five days for them to practice on.  :( :( :(  


Now, the Dentist & Hygienist over here love doing this.  I am the person who HATES shots with a purple passion.  I have hated them since I was a very small child.  I can't even watch someone else on TV with a knife or an animal attacking another animal on the Discovery Channel.  I can dig in your mouth & get all that gunk out, but forget a shot.


As I was telling Gaye all this we started dieing laughing.  The more expressive I got, the more we laughed.  About the end of this conversation, it was time for us to depart.  We were still sitting in her car, talking of course, next to my car.  Gaye then came up with this great idea.  "Ann, just think of those mouths as being a chicken.  As you are giving those shots, you are marinating a chicken.  Just imagine that medicine spreading out like marinade all through the mouth."  By this time we were roaring with laughter.  Laughing tears were flowing down my cheeks.  You know, one of those belly laughs.  In fact, I am laughing all over again while writing this story.  


Well, I must admit, that if I ever take the course I might kill over laughing with the shot in my hand & never make it to the patients mouth.  At this point in my journey in preparing to take the AR Dental Hygiene Boards, I don't have a patient & my board is Apr 28th.  That seems like a long time away, but really I have about 1 1/2 weeks to find a patient or maybe I need to withdraw from the exam & give up practicing DH..  If I don't get my license, then I don't have to take the course.  Hey!! :)


Some anchor concepts of faith that I have really hung onto are: that God is good no matter what;  He loves me & He wants the best for me & my family; & He is faithful no matter what.  He hasn't failed me, & I haven't failed myself through this process.  If I take the board or not, if I pass or not; He is still a good Father.  Again, these concepts keep me grounded in my life.  Other faith steps through this journey have been clinging to the verses that God has given me; not giving up; studying for the course before I pass the boards (I have to pass the boards to take the course).


Well back to the marinade, shots or no shots, God wants to marinade me in His Word & in His goodness everyday.  Don't you love that?!  Also, don't you love dear friends that help you keep life in perspective?!  I do.


                                 ann :)
                                     






    

Marinade or Faith?

Almost two and a half years ago I completed an up & down journey that involved renewing my GA RDH license & earning my NC RDH license.  This was one of the most stressful journeys that I have ever lived through in a very, Very, VERY long time.

This season of my life began when Dave mentioned to me one random day, that if something happened to him, it might be a good idea for me to renew my GA RDH license.  We lived in Highlands, NC at the time; a tiny mountain town which was only about 30 minutes from the GA State line.  This idea led to me doing the carpal tunnel surgery on my right hand in Dec of 2008.  Then in Jan. 2009, after filling out all the paper work for the GA Board, I was now part of the waiting game.  To make a long story short, I received my license in December of 2009.

In the meantime while waiting on my GA license, I really felt lead within my spirit to go after my NC license since I lived in NC.  Makes sense, huh!  This is where the stress of my journey really began.  I had to find a patient who would consent for me to take him to the Board exam & clean a portion of his mouth.  This was not an easy feat since I was not in a school setting anymore.  It seems that this wouldn't be all that hard.  Who wouldn't want a free cleaning, Xrays, all expenses paid trip to Greenville, NC, & money on the side.   It doesn't work that way.  The Dental Board has a very specific criteria for you to follow.  God provided for my every need in many miraculous ways along this journey.  Maybe one day I will write a blog about it.  To make a long story short, the Lord got me a patient & I passed the Board in Oct, 2009.  One of the greatest lessons I learned through this process was overcoming my battle with fear.  Another thing I learned was I NEVER WANTED TO GO THROUGH ANYTHING LIKE THIS AGAIN.

If you have been reading my blog; beginning 9-6-11; you would have learned that we have just been through a major move from Highlands, NC to Maumelle, AR the end of Sept 2011.  Guess what that means?  Yep!!  If I am to practice Dental Hygiene, I am going to have to take the Clinical EXAM all over again! :(  Yes, I have to find the perfect patient to meet the AR Boards' criteria to take to the exam.  At least this time I can take the exam here in town & I have the Dental Hygiene School to help me in many ways.  So here I go again putting fliers all over town, FB messages, hospitals & visiting churches with my information that I need in find that patient.

God has given me the neatest verses to carry me along this journey-Ex 31:1-5
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ² “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. ³ And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, ⁴ to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, ⁵ in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship.


Well this fits me to the TEE.  I am like Bezalel.  He was the only a blue collar worker that God put His Spirit into.  He was not a leader or a prophet.  I am God's child & I have His Spirit in me.  I have prayed that God would fill me not only with His Spirit, but also in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, & in all manner of workmanship to work in all manner of workmanship of Dental Hygiene.  Bezalel, had to do his job perfectly the first time.  I need to do that with the Boards.  He also worked well under authority.  I have needed to have this in working with my instructors.


I hate long blogs, so I will continue the story later....


                                        ann :)

All This In A Week?: Part 5-Inside Boxes Done!!!

Oct 5, 2011-Wed

I finally got the last box opened in the kitchen.  I conquered the pantry yesterday.  I was really dreading that.  I must say, it looks great.  Then, this past Mon I conquered the kitchen.  Today was the nick knacks.  I told myself, if I don't have a place for it, it will go in a garage sale very shortly.  All of these boxes for these three jobs were all placed in the kitchen.  Unbelievable.  

These are 1/2 of the boxes.  Last weekend, Ben (our son) 

& a friend broke down at least this many boxes.

Dreading the garage!!!

Oct 14-Friday (9 days later)
We got the office rearranged last Sat.  That was my official day of completing the boxes in the house.  Yeah!!!  It took me 10 days to finish the inside of the house, but it was the first 3 days that most of the work was done.  I was tired & sore all over.

Dave has been commenting since he got here concerning the garage that it won't be touched for another month or so.  I figured that was a true statement because I would have to wait on him.  Yesterday, I had to make a path through the garage to get to a screwdriver.  I then realized that there were boxes within my reach that I could take apart.  My eyes were glistening & my mouth was drooling.  All I need now was a knife in hand.  Guess what I will be doing on Sat?  It isn't ironing, like I planned.

Garage-Part of a side view.

                                               Garage-Front view

I did write within this 5 Part Series that I had a point.  It is:

Acts 17:24-27

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

²⁴ The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands;
                                ²⁵ nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things;
                                                       ²⁶ and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,
                                                                          ²⁷ that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;

POINT-This is our determined appointed time (beginning Sept 28, 2011 to whenever) & our boundaries are Maumelle, Ar.  My prayer is that we would seek God, & hopefully perhaps we might grope for Him & find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.

Thanks for reading.

                        ann :) 

PRAYER is Power

Many times it is hard to feel, know & see the power of prayer.  But God says in

           Mark 11:24-For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer,
             believe (trust & be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it].

                                         and another great verse to pray.

          1Thess. 5:17-Be unceasing in prayer [praying perseveringly].

His answers to our prayers are very simple: yes, no & for me a lot of the time, wait....

Concerning our move I can clearly see the power in my prayers.  I felt it began during the trip going to AR for my grand baby's baby dedication.   Right before I left a friend gave me a great, but very simple, concise prayer book-Unlocking the Heavens by Ruth Shinness.  I love those types of books.  The theme of the book is praying the way that Abraham prayed: call those things that be not as though they were.  You pray scripture back to God.  This is not a new thinking, but how many times do (we) I do it.

I had a least 11 hrs to kill each way as I was driving to & from AR, so why not spend some of that time putting it to good use by praying this little book.   Even after the trip I was diligent in praying this book for two weeks.  Now, I was not praying about a move.  I was just praying the scripture prayers.

Two weeks later my husbands' resumes went out; 6 weeks after that it was a done deal.  He had a new job & we were moving in 4 mon.  Four became our new number.  The new job began, the old job needed a notice & our rental house was up all in 4 mons.  Interesting!!!

Now, did all this start because I prayed those scripture prayers for 2 weeks.  Let's see.  What about my husband's prayers years before that.  And the prayers of our children, friends, & family members who have been praying for us for years.  Then I learned that my husband's new partner had been praying for a year concerning this job & she didn't even know us.

Well in my thinking, I see two things.: One-there is power in prayer
                                                             Two-many yes, no, & wait answers
                                                                                      in just one decision.

                                                          ann :)