thanksgiving

the only good thing about being on call on Thanksgiving day is that it makes me super-thankful for everything i have...

i walk in this AM to find out that the night team spent a large portion of the night trying to resuscitate an 18-year old girl. don't worry, the story gets more tragic. the day before she was in an ENT's office getting a nose job. they sedated her without protecting her airway. she bled, swallowed some of the blood, lost her airway, and stopped breathing. they intubated her in the office and rushed her to the icu. she died this morning, nov 23, 2006, thanksgiving day. all morning i heard someone - i'm not sure if it was a family member or a friend, but it was a young girl - crying, shreking on the phone.

first, i'm thankful i wasn't here for that. i'm pretty sure i would have lost it.

second, i'm thankful i'm alive. and not in the hospital because i'm sick. there's another guy, late 50s, broke his neck in a car accident, totally paralyzed from shoulders down. he doesn't have any fine finger mvmts, and he has a trach - prob for the rest of his life. if he's smiling, i can smile too.

third, i'm thankful for my family - this poor girl was probably born into affluence in the upper east side of nyc, which, sadly, probably contributed to her accelerated death.

last, i'm thankful to know Jesus. we are all cursed by Death, but i'm so glad i have the assurance that "to die is gain." Jesus lives, and so shall I! :)

so so thankful

8 days to thanksgiving. i'm thankful for my family. my mom and dad, who without fail tolerate my brattyness and allow me to truly break down and be a child before them, anytime, anyplace. my sister, who just loves me. she wanted me more than anyone before i was born, and she is always thinking of me - i know it. my bro-in-law, who has known me since i was 12, and truly is like my blood brother. dude, he's seen me half-naked, puking my guts out in bed! my nieces and nephew - whose hugs make me want to never let them go.

i'm also thankful for my other family from God. you know who you are. *laugh* what more can i say? :)

Jesus is ALIVE!

"The road to faith passes through obedience to the call of Jesus. Unless a definitive step is demanded, the call vanishes into thin air, and if men imagine that they can follow Jesus without taking this step, they are deluding themselves like fanatics." Dietrich Bonhoeffer

This quote has nothing to do with my blog entry, but I just wanted to include it... :)

On Tuesday night Paige Brown concluded her class with this challenge: "Have you encoungered the LIVING Jesus?" My heart was bursting with joy as she talked about that! Jesus is the SAME, yesterday, today, and FOREVER! He is at the right hand of God, always interceding for me, and ALL fo Jesus' prayers are answered. Actually - this last statement was repeated almost verbatim over the course of two days - both at the BSF lecture and at the Biblical History class... dude, God really wanted to get this point across to me! Here's a segment from my notes for the class:

- Jesus is the firstfruits of an ENTIRELY new reality à alive FOREVER! PERMANENT resurrection!!! Jesus is FULLY ALIVE NOW! Jesus is everything He said that He is.
- If Jesus is not raised then we are still in sin and are HOPELESS!
- Easter is the dawn of a new age – we live in the RESURRECTED end!
- John 16 – Joy is born in resurrection; nothing can take away your JOY because it is the guarantee that the Gospel is TRUE; the answer to your doubts and your sadness is the resurrection!!
- Our joy lives in the flesh at the Father’s R hand; does it matter whether Jesu sis alive or dead? YES! Otherwise, what is the point?
- Jesus is PERMANENTLY enthroned at the R hand of the Father because He is the same Jesus for ETERNITY.
- Jesus is not becoming anything; He is the guarantee that we will be like that. The future is a reality in the present as the RESURRECTION à transforms the disciple’s lives
- Thomas says, “My LORD and my GOD” – Why haven’t I changed? It’s because I haven’t seen the Risen Lord, because when you do, LIFE CHANGES.
- Jesus is praying right now to the Father for me, and Jesus’ prayers are ALWAYS answered! The whole point of the Bible is: HE LIVES! NOW! IT doesn’t stop at Good Friday. Everything begins at Easter.

Have you seen the Risen Lord?

He PROMISES He will reveal Himself to YOU!!!