Reminders from above

Who in this world is not stressed to some point?  I can't think of anyone! Some of us stress more than others and we all show it different ways.  I found this on pinterest (yes, I love it!) and it really caught my attention.  I knew a few of these verses off the top of my head and I had to look up the rest but man they ALL hit home!!  Life is always throwing curve balls to you according to your plan and you get upset or mad or stressed! We are humans and we are not perfect! Thankfully, we have a loving father that is perfect and loves us and guides us through life if we are willing to listen and obey! He is a forgiving father that loves us no matter what! We are children of God and we are covered by his Grace!!
Life around the Sanford house has been really crazy, hectic, stressed..... you get the picture.  It is crazy around here on a normal basis but the you throw in nursing school, 2 kids in school, and an amazing husband working to support us it gets to be a mad house!!! This note with all the verses is a great reminder of me to stop and listen to God's word and be obedient to him through everything that I say, do and how I act!! It also reminds me that even in the hard, difficult, "I don't know what to do" times God is always there! He is always taking care of you!  Thank you Lord for always taking care of me/us even when we don't know what is going on! 

Yesterday was a rather hectic day.  Getting news that threw us for a loop.  I won't go into details about that right now.  But I got mad, upset, started worrying and trying to figure things out in my head and play things out in my head!  Then I remembered some of my devotions from the last few days and realized that the were things that were preparing me for the news last night. The devotions were:

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord,

"plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to

give you hope and a future"

Jeremiah 29:11

"My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen,

slow to speak and slow to become angry"

James 1:19

Coincidence? Absolutely NOT!  God was talking to me! I was listening but didn't know what it was for.  I thought the second verse was for something different.  Now I know it was for both!  Wow God! So then Ryan sends me Jeremiah 29:11 in a text this morning reminding me that God will take care of us and he has a plan for us.  Then I remembered this list of verses that I got off pinterest.  So I started looking up the ones I didn't know and praying about it!  Here are some of the other verses that really spoke to me about our situation.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make your paths straight."

Proverbs 3:5-6

"And we know that in all things God works for the good

of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose"

Romans 8:28

God is an Amazing God!  He has spoke to me and reminded me that he is in control and will provide for us and take care of us and that we have to trust him! All the way to school and home today all the songs on KLove seemed to really click with me and speak to me!  And I have had a friend post a quote on FB that spoke to me.  "Believing is receiving! Believing first before seeing the evidence of what we are believing for is called FAITH! Faith is like a spark and Jesus is the dynamite power!" -- Joseph Prince

God is SO GOOD!! I have faith that God will provide for us and he will take care of this situation and in the end all of the praise and glory will go to God!!

Motivation

So today starts the beginning of another semester!  And let me just say I am EXCITED!! First of all, I love nursing school all together, second we get to start clinicals in the hospital and third we are learning IV's this semester!! :)  And I got the hospital I really wanted for clinicals (not that I had a say so in that, its a God thing!!!!) I love the beginning of semesters, I have all this energy and motivation to get things done and stay on top.  I am ready to do the reading assignments and make notes and all the other stuff that goes along with it.  And to top it off, the school motivation moves over into general overall motivation.  You seeing the picture here? Not that I don't have motivation on a regular basis but its different!! I can't explain it! I am a natural planner, OCD person that wants to get things done and have things straight anyway so I think that helps!Not to mention since I am juggling school full time, being a wife and a mother to 2 fast paced kids I have to be on my A game to keep up!

Today I got to see friends from last semester, meet all the new instructors and get the heads up on the semester!  AKA we move fast so get on and hang on! :)  I learned last semester that all of nursing school is like that except the "bus" gets faster as the semesters go on.  One of the instructors today put it this way: 1st semester = pre-school; 2nd semester = middle school; 3rd semester = high school; 4th semester = college! yea its that fast! I added 2 new books to my collection of nursing school books.  I feel like today was a very good day with the things that I was able to accomplish!  Now here it is in writing that I plan to keep up the motivation and routine!  It will be hard and trying but I know that routine and motivation is what helps me going.  The thing that keeps me going first and foremost is my savior!  This is his plan for my life and I am following! The prayers and support from my family and friends is the second thing that is keeping me going!! I couldn't do it without Ryan, my boys, my family and my awesome friends!! Thank ya'll!!

Here is to another GREAT semester and 1 step closer to being an RN!!

Celebrating 2 Birthdays

Today marks 2 special birthdays!! One my sweet nephew, Shane turns 6! Sure doesn't seem like he should be 6 already!  He'll be grown like mine before I can blink my eyes again.  He is a sweet boy with a loving personality.  Shane, I hope you have a wonderful birthday!  I wish that we could be there to celebrate with you!  We love you!! Aunt Alicia, Uncle Clay, Colton and Pierce!

The other special birthday today is my amazing grandma!  She turns 84 years young today!! I can't say enough great things about this amazing woman in my life!  She has taught me so much and continues to teach me every time I am with her!! She has an amazing  heart and love for her family and always wants to make sure that we are taken care of!  She is the most selfless person I have ever met!! It brings me great joy to be around here each and every time!! I can only pray to be such a selfless, loving person like her!  She is one of my # 1 supporters in everything that I do!  I love that she is getting to be here and walk this nursing school journey with me!  The excitement she showed when I told her what I was going to do, put a smile on my face and increased my excitement for nursing school!! Grandma, I thank you for all the love, discipline, structure, guidance and love that you have given me over the years.  Thank you for doing so much for me and for sacrificing so much! I love to see you with the boys and the smiles on all 3 of your faces!! I can't imagine having a better person to call my grandma!! I love you so much and am thankful for you!! I hope that you have an amazing day and I look forward to celebrating many more birthdays to come!! We love you!! Alicia, Ryan, Colton and Pierce!!

Hello 2012

I am looking forward to seeing what 2012 brings!  2012 brings 2 more semesters of Nursing School.  It brings more time with my family and friends that I can cherish! It brings new adventures and new challenges.  I am looking forward to seeing what God has in store for my family during this new year!

My prayer is that:

• I will be more disciplined to have a better and closer walk with God
• That I will be able to be the Godly wife and mother that I want to be and that I know God wants me to be!  
• I will be able to be a great example for the boys in showing them that God is in control of everything and that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us! 
• That our family becomes closer and that we have unbreakable bonds with each other and that we'll cherish every moment together! 
• That everything I do and my family does is for Christ! I want to be lead by the spirit and not by my own wants and desires! 
• That even in the hard times and the down times that I remember that God is in control and to look for him for strength and guidance
• That I learn to be quick to listen and slow to anger
• That I always remember to cherish moments with my family and friends, we aren't promised tomorrow
• That our family becomes more involved in giving to others and doing for others!
• That I remember this statement not only this year but always:
  

  With God I'm never a bad mom. I might be having a bad moment, or two, or seventeen. But a few bad moments does not define me as a bad mom. God's grace is there to cover me. Teach me. And even in the middle of a bad moment, interrupt me, redirect me, and change me. Forgiveness is there. Love is there. A second chance is there. And another one after that. -Lysa TerKeurst (Proverbs 31 Ministries)

2012 is full of potential we just have to surrender to God and jump in and know that he will take care of our every need!! I pray that each one of you have a wonderful God filled year!!