An Honor to be a part of the Story

We had a BEAUTIFUL time with my parents in Staunton this past weekend! I have LOTS of pics from our special time with Grammy & Gdaddy! (coming soon!)

We got home late Sunday night and I woke up early for work on Monday, so things have been busy until this morning. I had a premonition that I would be taking care one of our dearest patients on Monday. I got there and saw my name next to hers and my heart was heavy, but glad to be there with her. How do you explain the heaviness that comes with taking care of a patient that will soon go to heaven? How do you describe the honor that comes with caring for such a precious life? The emotions that one has throughout the day can be overwhelming... remembering each sweet time she opens her eyes, each moment her and her family share, each tear that is shed, hug that is given, and words that are left unspoken. It is truly indescribable. Yesterday was filled with those moments of emotion.

One of my favorite "mental snapshots" happened yesterday:

I will always remember one of our precious doctors, coming along side me, to give this sweet girl a bath. To see her sweet demeanor, gentle touch, calming words, and readiness to quickly jump in and help was so humbling. Honestly, most docs won't stop what they are doing to barely even speak with a patient, let alone give a dying patient a bath. Though it has been hard to leave my son to work my 2 shifts a week, yesterday was a reminder of the unique privilege and honor it is to do what I do. As a nurse I not only get the chance to care for the physical needs of people, but the emotional, mental, and spiritual too. wow!

Please be in prayer for our sweet girl that is fighting for each day of her life and for the many other children that are battling cancer. Please pray that the nurses and doctors at CHKD will be used to touch these children and their families in such difficult times.

Love this quote from my dear friends blog:

Sad words are just another beauty. A sad story means, this storyteller is alive. The next thing you know, something fine will happen to her, something marvelous, and then she will turn around and smile. -Chris Cleave, Little Bee

oil of joy

Meditating:

Psalm 145: 8-9
The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.

Proverbs 14:17

A quick-tempered man does foolish things, and a crafty man is hated.

Proverbs 15:18
A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel.

Proverbs 16:32
Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.

Proverbs 17:14-15
The beginning of strife is like releasing water; Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts. He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.

Proverbs 29:22
An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered one commits many sins.

Ecclesiastes 7:9
Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.

Colossians 3:7-9
You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices.

Ephesians 4:31-32
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

2 Timothy 2:23-24
Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.

The oil of joy instead of despair! Today I choose...

s t a u n t o n !

HEADED TO STAUNTON IN 2 DAYS! SO EXCITED!!! My parents haven't seen the baby in almost 2 months! They are so excited to spend some quality time with him! Ray and I love hanging with them too... lots of laughing, talking, eating, and just being together! Looking forward to spending every second of this weekend with FAMILY :)

love him

Ch Ch Ch Changes....

Cravings & Conflict (click)

¹What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? ²You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. ³When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. James 4:1-3

This quote (and audio) really encouraged my heart this morning. I tend to be so focused on my husband's sin that I forget that I need to take a long look at the sin in my heart. Applying the gospel to the anger in my heart is not always easy, but it is the path to righteousness. Oh, Lord, change me from the inside out. I cannot do it without you...

I listened to our pastor's message on THE BEAUTY OF A HOLY LIFE a few days ago... so convicting and encouraging! I was reminded that sin is serious... and it is against a holy God. How I need to be reminded every day that He died for my sins and has raised me to life! Now may I run in the direction of repentance, love, & CHANGE.

Some points that really stood out to me in Eric's message:

*God’s word prohibits the people of God to abstain from a lifestyle of disobedience to God’s clear standards/commands.

*Fleshly passions WAGE WAR against your soul… forming an army, soldiering against you… this is sins job!

*This isn’t who you are… you are something different! Please, abstain from the passions of the flesh (sin)! Sin: to willfully disobey God’s commands.

· Sins: Wanting to maliciously hurt others, drunkenness, envying others, sexual impurity, adultery, homosexuality, gossip, slander, backbiting, drugs, screaming at your husband/wife in anger, disobeying/dishonoring, lying, flirting, immodesty, binge eating/drinking IS WRONG! SIN IS WRONG! And we are called by God to refuse sin and not walk in it any longer.

*A *holy life includes an honorable lifestyle… honorable conduct. A way of life… the unbelievers are watching. Holiness, godliness, expressed in how we live.

- our outward godliness never contributes to our salvation

- we never work to earn righteousness, we work to GROW in righteousness!!

* Is living a holy life about us? NO! Your holiness has the power to attract unbelievers to Christ!!

Consider your life... allow the power of God’s Word to confront you… does our conduct of life reflect that we are a part of the people of God living for another world? Where is God convicting you this morning… to come to God, confess your sin, and receive forgiveness, power, and grace.

You are not stuck in your sins… there is power over your sins… power to change!!!

I was reminded of a song I used to sing when I was little...

Change my heart o God

Make it ever true

Change my heart o God

May I be like you

You are the potter

I am the clay

mold me and make me

this is what I pray

So as tough as it is to change... I know that God has given me the power to change through His spirit! Thank you Lord that your mercies are new every morning! Great is your faithfulness! :)

big wheels keep on rollin...

i rolled over yesterday at church!

mrs. sabrina and mommy saw it and were so proud of me!

i am still trying to replicate it today...

Went to the Neptune Festival this weekend with GiGi, mommy, & uncle kyle!

little update:

Though it is never easy to leave my little munchkin...

It is getting better and better each week.

It was both, Ray & my, decision for me to go back to work twice a week... one day shift, one night shift.

This is what works best for us... and this is what we feel God giving us grace for at

this time. Though it is hard at times, we are peaceful.

I have actually enjoyed being back to work... once I get there...

I love catching up with all the other moms... having a little grown up time

without doing the whole baby talk thing :)

I have enjoyed getting back to nursing... to helping patients and families

through the difficult times of being in the hospital and dealing with the diagnosis of cancer.

I know that God is using this season to show me all that He has called me to.

His plan is ALWAYS better than mine...

I am loving watching Barrett grow. It seems like this week he has had a big developmental growth spurt... laughing, cooing more, and now rolling over!

God has been so kind to allow me to be such a big part of Barrett's life and work to help our family! I hardly miss much of his life at all :) I am also very thankful that Ray does such an awesome job with the baby overnight and that Ray's mom takes such good care of him during the day! The transition was hard, but it is getting better with each passing week.

I am so grateful for ALL of you that prayed for me, encouraged me, and have walked with

me through this hard transition.

My parents have been an extra special encouragement to me during this time.

I am so grateful for the people that the Lord has placed in my life!

so... embarking on another week at the Hunt household!! :) In all the business, God is quieting out hearts and drawing us to Himself!

1 Peter 2:4-10

Realized that on days that I work night shifts I will not be getting much sleep...

So, after a nice morning walk to the Chiropractor with my baby, I decided that I would listen to the message from Sunday while Barrett is content playing. It is hard to focus on the message at church now that I have a little one. I listened to Eric's message, Our Identity, Our Purpose, and was so convicted and encouraged. I was exactly what I needed to be reminded of today... who I am in Christ and who we are as a church. Life can get so busy that my purpose and passion can quickly be crowed out and conformed into something completely different. As Eric reminded us, "Our purpose is to proclaim the excellencies of Christ!" What a privilege to participate in proclaiming Christ everyday!

One question that really caused me to think was, "What do you find yourself placing your identity in?" That question will start to reveal the idols in your heart quite quickly! Man, I can think of so many things that my identity is found in... and at times it is far from who I am in Christ...

A Royal Priesthood

A Holy Nation

A People Belonging to God!

I must remind myself daily that I am His daughter, that He has raised me up in Christ to life, and that His spirit is active in me all the time! He is the living stone and I, a dead stone, am connected to Him... therefore, I am ALIVE and His passion and purpose should consume to life!

"As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 2:4-5

And, the beauty of all this is... we are the Church! All the dead stones that have been made alive are working together to make up the church! I am seeing a renewed love for the church growing in my heart. What could be more important than meeting with the people of God... to be where his spirit dwells... and to all being sanctified together in love! I think of Barrett... wanting Him to know what the most important things are to his mommy and daddy. What will he say one day... is it sports, work, entertainment, etc... or is it Jesus Christ?

Eric encouraged us to, "see what God is doing in our generation, and throw ourselves into it!" I want to throw myself into "proclaiming the excellencies of christ" in all that I do. I know that I needed a fresh look at who I am in Christ and the work that He has for me to do! I can feel frustrated at times with this season of my life... sometimes its just enough for me to get up, showered, dressed, and take care of my family. How can I "proclaim His excellencies" in this season? I am already feeling a sweet new outlook for what God is doing in my heart, my family, and my church! Oh, how I want to be a part of it all... whether it is worshipping together on Sunday, praying with a friend over the phone, bring a nurse at KD, taking care of my son, or encouraging my husband... I know that it is not always in the BIG things that are noticeable, but the little things are just as important to Jesus.

So... though I woke up exhausted, knowing I have to be up all day and work all night... Just hearing the truth of God's Word this afternoon gives me renewed strength to serve my Jesus with my all... in all that I do... for His glory!

"Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." 1 Peter 2:10