Golly Gee, God Gradually Get's Gooder.

Infusion # 8 of Tysabri was today. So far, so GOOD! Today would mark month 8, and my health continues on GOOD AS GOLD (knocking on wood). I wanted to include some video of the infusion process.

Having the actual needle placed into my vein is not a problem. It is that darn tape that is so excruciatingly painful. When the tape comes off, so does all the hair on my hairy arms. OUCH!!! Today was really a blessing at the hospital. I was so hungry, and they brought me out this meal, and it tasted so good. It looked really good too. I could tell the cook actually put some time trying to make it pretty, it looked good, and more importantly, it tasted awesome! I am not going to diss on hospital food any longer after this experience.Now doesn't that look pretty? :-)

Today, after I got my infusion, I met up with Tom (Young Life staff) to talk about a the "talk" I will be giving next Wednesday at club. After speaking with him, I am getting so totally excited about it. It is going to be just awesome. I have no worries, God will use it for whatever his purpose is going to be. I just want to make myself a vessel for him to use. Tom is to the left, and I am sitting to the right.....It is kind of a funny picture of us, because I don't usually have my shirt off, I have gained some weight.

In the evening, I went to BSF. It was such a good time. I get so much out of the talks now, it is very uplifting. I wish I had time to explain things I learned and took from the talk tonight in great detail, but I don't. SO, I am just going to highlight the grand points, and explain in brevity how they are impacting my life.

This last week, we went through (Exodus 6:28-10:29), the first 9 plagues that God sent to the Egyptians. There were some amazingly challenging questions, and insights I took from the talk Jack gave tonight. CQ stands for challenge question(s).

*What will it take to surrender fully to God and abandon all other God's?
~Pharaoh hardened his heart & showed an obvious lack of fear for God.
-Sin has hardened man's heart. It is when I diligently refuse to submit to God that I choose NOT to follow Him.
~I must accept the obvious path God is leading me to. By refusing to do so, I am "diligently refusing to submit to God."
-Courage to do hard things in God's will glorifies Him.
-The longer sinners resist God's will, and refuse his word, the louder he speaks through judgment.

(?)CQ(?) How has God kept me safe?
How or when have I chosen to ignore God or hiw will?

FINAL NOTE:
Satan wants humans to believe that compromising to unGodly things is okay. It is when we compromise, that Satan is able to slowly get rid of the thorny ball, and turn it into a smooth ball, easy to handle. I remember my 5th grade teacher use to tell us that that when we tell lies, there is a ball inside us, that has sharp thorns sticking out of it. Every time we lie, the ball turns a little bit. At first it hurts to lie (regret, guilt, etc.), but after a while, the sharp thorns sticking out get worn off and it becomes very easy and painless. That is how I envision consistent sin, not being given to the lord looking like.

These notes really impact me deeply because of some challenges I have set for myself in my life.

the TALK

Today was average to say the least. I didn't accomplish all the things I wanted to, but I worked my AB's when I worked out, and they are so, so that is good. My philosophy class was cancelled, so I went straight to the YMCA to get my work out on. I was suppose to go straight home, eat food, then work on papers due for Friday in my PHILOSOPHY class. It is 11PM, I am sitting in the library auxiliary 24/hr study room BLOGGING, because it is obviously more important than doing my study. DO'OH!

Before I came here, I went to have dinner with my sister and her roommate. I forget what it was called, but it was SOOO GOOD. Traci (to the left) is a super good cook. Apparently my sister is too, because when I gave Traci all the credit, I got barked at. ;-) I love my sister Merideth so much, and wish I could spend so much more time with her. DARN YOU SCHEDULE AND LIFE APPOINTMENTS!!

BUT, right after work was the highlite of my day. I got to meet with Dave, my old youth pastor gone mentor (guy who I meet with every Sunday). Well, if I had any kind of gut, I would share the topic. But I am spineless, so we will just call it a Christ talk. No, that's lame, not lame, but not sufficient. It was more of a learning and realization time for me on some specific areas that have needed addressed for quite some time. But I came to find that it isn't so much as what I thought needed fixed, but needs to be left to what God want's to reveal. I learned so much about the way I approach things, and was really challenged in a powerful and meaningful way. YESSS!!!

Back 2 study time.

Peace, Grace & Peace. First the Grace....then comes the PEACE!