And I’ve got so much left to do…

A bit of encouragement from one of the sweet kids at HCH:

 
Hello my dear Shannon,

I'm very happy to write to you this letter. I hope you will also be happy to receive the letter. I want to thank you for coming to meet us here in HCH. I'm praying for you every day and I hope you're well. Always smile. God loves you. Thank you for coming to spend your time with us. Remember to always :-)

I love you Shannon,

Honorine

 

 

Honorine
DOB: 10/15/1998


 




"Let me reintroduce myself
As a man with a cause
I've had a lot of time to think
And look at who we are
And I've got nothing left to say
But we've got to carry on
And I've got so much left to do
But I'll start with this song

Why do they lie?
Why can't you see?
Get up everybody
Stand up with me

Let's Go! Everybody!
Let's Go! Tell 'em we're coming
Let's Go! Everybody!
Let's Go! Stand up with me!
Let's Go!
Take the world with me"

"Let's Go" by Cartel


 

 
Left on my to do list: grocery shopping, pick up last minute things (stuff for the team, things for the kids), go to school, study for a pharm final, learn something about Rheumatology, study for the Rheum block test, coordinate pick-up and drop off of supplies, have a fun weekend with my parents, pack, lead a few conference calls, send half a million emails, thank a million people who have been so great and so SO so sweet to me and the kids, etc…


 
But today in church we learned about the word ALWAYS. God is ALWAYS with us. He is with me now as I have a semi-melt down and tell Him over and over how I CAN'T do this and how I am incapable of doing anything. But he just smiles and tells me that's why He is in control and promises to be there for me.


 
Deep Breaths…


 
I'm so close now I can almost smell Africa!!

God made Kidneys too…

Unfortunately God made kidneys, which are an extracomplicated piece of anatomy designed to rid our bodies of waste…

So maybe it's a fortunate thing God made kidneys, and only unfortunate that He made them extracomplicated.


I thought about having a brilliant post comparing kidneys to God and how he is extracomplicated and rids US of the nasty things in our lives, but then that seamed cheesy and too deep to think about when I'm trying to learn the ins and outs of the kidney.

Hmmmm….

Sometimes I think I have a lot of the symptoms of Uremia (fatigue, restless legs, lack of concentration, irritability) but I'm pretty sure without the majority of the symptoms my kidneys are functioning just fine…

Other times I think I'm hypokalemic, because it just sounds fancy and sometimes I fit the profile (but not most of the time, thankfully)

And then I have a strong suspicion I'm going to get kidney stones because I don't drink enough water or eat enough citrus fruits most of the year and I do take calcium supplements, eat things with oxalate in them (chocolate, tea, spinach), and eat a lot of salt. Good thing I don't eat much animal protein because just knowing that I meet most of the requirements for renal stones is enough to freak me out…


I need to stop thinking so hard…

Good thing I'm trusting God to take care of the details in my life!

Somehow, breathe a little deeper now…

"Patience, child it will find you
Your deepest dreams will guide you
the moment that you're born
all night the fear inside will come through
haunting right behind you
don't let it get that far

Somehow, breathe a little deeper now
this is who we are
when we look into their eyes
don't fly so high
so high little bird
you'll get your wings clipped
we'll pick it up, pick it up now you've learned

Searching the moment that defines you
your deepest dreams remind you
get out before you're gone
now that all you hear is what surrounds you
push it out, get it out from around you
never stop and you will find it all

Somehow, breathe a little deeper now
this is who we are
when we look into their eyes
don't fly so high
so high little bird
you'll get your wings clipped
pick it up, pick it up now you've learned

We decided
We decided
We decided this now
So find out how we can survive
How we can survive
If we learn how to live our lives
If we learn how to live

Somehow, breathe a little deeper now
this is who we are
when we look into their eyes
don't fly so high
so high little bird
you'll get your wings clipped
pick it up, pick it up now you've learned"

Cartel "This Is Who We Are"

 





 








Deep Breaths. School will get done. Plans for Africa will get finished. Support will come in.


God has this under control:



1 Peter 5:7
"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."



I'm pretty sure all covers tests over kidneys. Not that I don't have to work hard, just that I don't need to WORRY about working hard. I shouldn't worry about anything. I just need to breathe. I need to TRUST GOD to help me survive.



2 Chron 20:17, 27

"You won't need to fight in this battle. Just stand strong in your places and you will see the LORD save you…

Then Jehosaphat led all the men from Judah and Jerusalem back to Jerusalem. The LORD had made them happy because their enemies were defeated." (from my quiet time a few days ago)



Have courage, sweet girl. God will be there. He'll save the day, trust Him. And don't forget to breathe…


 

Only...

PA School + Planning a trip to Cameroon + Breathing + the million other things I do = Impossible

PA School + Planning a trip to Cameroon + Breathing + the million other things I do + God = Possible in HIS strength...

Got it!

Thanks for all of you who are supporting us!!  More to come shortly...