We have a teenager!!!!

There are many firsts in life. Your first bike ride without training wheels. Your first date. Your first kiss. Your first patch of gray hair. This month I have reached another first. I now have a teenager living in my house. wow. That totally blows my mind. We started PLBC when Steven was about 4. My how time has gone by...

I think to myself., wow, we have been fellowshiping @ PLBC for 9 - 10 years. What have we done there? What have we to show evidence of our love for our Lord there? Am I reaching others? What legacy am I creating for Jesus- not myself - there? Time flies by! Lets be accountable for our time.

I want to say thank you to those who have ministered to my son as he has grown from a little boy into a teenager. Those in the nursery, those teaching sunday school, Word of Life workers, and the all the camp workers, examples for him....on and on. Thanks for your ministry for Jesus!

Meet: David, a seminary student in Costa Rica

Note from the videography staff: “I thought you could simply fix the viewing to 'landscape' as you can a picture..I’m such a ditz! So tilt your head and listen close…it's so worth it." kk

Please meet David. He is a first year student at the Seminary in Costa Rica. He wants to go to Ethiopia as a missionary. On this trip, he ministered to the Indians, taught the children, played the guitar and worked in the clinic. I asked him his most exciting moment so far on the trip and this is what he said:

“I take a man and show Jesus to him. He got Jesus. He was sav-ed. I was emocionado (excited). I also was a translator for the medical staff for the patients. I want to do something like that in Africa when I go there.”

When you think of David, please keep him in your prayers as he continues in his studies to serve the Lord.

Panama Mission Trip Guest Blogger: Tommy Rosalee

Tommy works in a hospital at registration and is a full-time radiology technician student. He worships at Promise Land Baptist Church Jacksonville, Florida. Here is is blog:

Well, since Javier is not staring at me (like when we gave our testimonies) this should be a little easier to accomplish. As I stated in my testimony to the Guaymi’s I was a little reluctant about the trip at first because I had heard that they never measure up to the emotional attachment or feeling you get from your first trip, mine being Mexico. I am so glad God does not confine Himself to our limited worries and anxieties. I was able to feel completely disconnected from our “Rat Race” world and devote myself to just doing the Lords work. That was my sole reason for going in the first place and once I reminded myself of that all the little inconveniences became insignificant. God showed me that when I let Him control my thoughts and direction the end result is always going to be peace and joy (despite the trials along the way). I have been showing the pictures to my co workers and the always love the little girl you have posted on your blog. Another one they like is one of my favorites too. This little girl always had a smile on her face any time I saw her.

I have been thinking, by our “American” standards we are taught that she doesn’t have much chance for a happy life. I am so glad someone forgot to tell her. It is a reminder that we can be happy with nothing but God in our lives.

Meet: Baby Girl, 14 day old

This is a 14 day old girl in Panama that I evaluated while the on a medical missions. The baby's mom is a young girl and this is her first child. Baby doesn't have a name yet.

God so intimately knows this child. He loves her. He knows how may hairs are on her head. Right now her mom is still thinking of a name for her, but it is my prayer that our Heavenly Father will one day have sealed her name in the Lambs Book if Life. Will you take a moment and pray that this mom and community will raise her to seek a personal relationship with Jesus? Will you pray for her health and her parent's ability to provide her what she needs?

As I blog this month, I'm going to introduce you to specific children and people I met while on this mission trip and ask you to pray for them. Some are children, some minister there to the indians, some journeyed there as we did to minister. I've also asked some of my fellow missionaries to be guest bloggers about their experiences. I can't wait to read them myself!!

We're home from Panama!

Back Home! It's great to go off and do something totally cool but also great to be home! Now, I'm warning you that your going to tire of the Costa Rica/Panama Mission trip references for a bit - so I'll try to minimize it to just a month's worth of bloggin, deal? God showed me a lot personally and I'll need some time to sort things out. I just wanted to say Tim and I made it home safe and sou..well, we're home!! The Holden's and Tommy R should be home anytime tonite (but if their planes are like ours were, maybe sometime this week!!)

I'll post a couple of video clips once I figure out how and maybe if Kevin hooks me up a slideshow of my favorite pixs from Panama. So for now, here are the Panama 5 and a pix of me with some indians (that's me smiling).

Buenas tardes from Panama

Hey everybody,
just a short note to say ola´. It is Saturday Panama time 1:45 pm. We´re having a great time here in the Lord. I smell stinky, my feet are dirty (I actually thought I got sun on my feet because when I took my flip flops off it was pale...nope just dirt!) but its the same for all. The day starts with the rooster at 5:30 but we get up at 6:30 and eat at 7, leave for the reservation by 8 and service starts at 8:30, and so does the clinic. Knock a few zeros off the expected crowd..there´s about 150 here a day for the conference. we have seen 110 in the clinic. the youngest a 14 day old to a 90 something..she didnt know her age and had never left the reservation. we are all well..not sick. our day ends at 1030 pm and repeats again. very rewarding work..alot of education needed. biggest issues: diarrhea, parasites, bronchitis and fevers. We purchased the meds here and feel we made wise choices. i thank God for the health of my family (although Steven has been home with a fever ever since we´ve been gone!)
more later...
love tim and karen

Can you get this log out of my eye?

So last week I was a bit hard on the Israelites. I realize this now because I became just like them!!! To re-cap, God made it clear that that He was going to care for them and lead them to a huge promise - a land just for them. Along the route there they constantly moaned and complained that God wasn't capable ("we're going to die here in the desert!!") or could be all-sufficient for them. If God had a plan for them to be in the Promise land then certainly he was capable of getting them there and was soverign to meet their needs along the way.

So fast forward to yesterday. As you know, Tim and I, the Holden's and Tommy Rosalee are heading to Panama tomorrow for a mission trip. Mine and Tim's purpose on this trip was to be part of a large medical ministry to the Guayama Indians. The team of 30 medical personnel dwindled down to, as of yesterday, just the two of us (and yes I do hear the tune in my head :). Talk about temporary insanity. I thought God, if you didn't want us to go in the first place..God how can we do this without even a physician with us...God we don't even speak the language(s)...God I have to wear skirts and pants in the 90+ degree weather (oops, did I say that one out loud???).
Thanks Stephanie for the reality check. Was I sure that God called us to go inthe first place? yes. Then be sure He isn't surprised by the turn of events and that He is SO IN CONTROL.

So for our trip here is what we ask you to pray for:
1. Tim would be symptom free from his medications on this trip
2. God would so be about this trip
3. All our households while we are gone
4. The Holden's clarity of their mission field work
5. We would surender every fiber of our being to Him and give Him every bit of glory
6. flexibility
I'll try to blog whilw out in the field, but doubt it can happen - we'll see.
John 3:16 - Porque tanto amó Dios al mundo, que dio a su Hijo unigénito, para que todo el que cree en él no se pierda, sino que tenga vida eterna.
Thanks! Karen

“God, I’ll take your second best, please”

Reading the book of Numbers is wearing me out! Whew! I want to be so quick to scold the Israelites for all their moaning and groaning. They constantly doubt that God is leading them to a HUGE promise. They complain all the time (well, in every chapter anyway) of the way God is caring for them. He mercifully replies to their grumbling graciously and displays yet again, a means of provision.

They travelled for years and were finally in sight of the promise land. He even provided physical proof that the land was flowing with milk and honey – yet they were too fearful to enter into His promise. How that must have hurt God. God had enough of their “why isn’t the Lord…” and thereafter refused that particular generation from ever entering the promise He had for them…they chose to live in the hood called “Second Best”.

Is God taking you through a trial so you can enter His best? Is He teaching you the word ‘trust’ so He can use you in a HUGE way? Has He been asking for your obedience in a situation that you simply can’t understand? Don’t give in when you feel the grumblin’ coming on. Hold tight and be faithful, patient and obedient! Just when you think you can’t stand it another minute – share that honesty with your Father. God is using your situation to prepare you to receive His best! I can’t wait to hear a testimony of what His best and His promise is for you!

Will you share it with me?

Jeremiah 29 (NIV)
11 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. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

River Run 08

I started this blog October 9 2007 and the first one was “Running the Good Race”. My goals were 2-fold, to increase my faith – dig deeper – grow closer to Jesus and secondly, improve my time and distance at the 08 River Run. Here is a small excerpt from that first blog “Last year at the beginning of the training I could run for 1 minute before I had to stop. Then after 12 weeks I could actually run a mile without stopping. This year, that is my start point. One mile, 17 minutes. Hey, it’s a start!! I have consistently worked out 3 days a week and two of those times being jogging. My goal is to run for 30 minutes without stopping. I’ve reached 22 minutes before. But I want a consistent pace. Building upon an already established work..moving forward, same with my faith..moving forward going deeper.”
Well it is now March and last weekend I did complete the RRun..all 9.23 miles. My personal goal was to be able to run 3 miles without stopping..and I did 6!! I was so excited and pumped. I ran probably total of 8 miles altogether. Walked up the Hart Bridge, as was my plan see this FL Times Union photo: http://photos.jacksonville.com/mycapture/enlarge.asp?userphoto=0&image=18072230&thispage=2
The wind was so bad my hair was standing up on end! 40 mph winds! Anyway my time was 2 hrs and 7 mins. I started in Oct at 17 min mile run and improved to 12 min mile run and on the course I ran 14 min miles. Before I get too proud sounding, Jackson de’ Ville way beat me..in full costume!! Ugh! Not right.
As for the spiritual growing part – wow. If I could only tell you some stories!! I will say this – the end result – I’ve had to talk to Jesus more, trust God more and depend on Him more..guess I have begun to reach my Oct 07 goal of growing more, huh.

You Might Be A Nurse If . . .

Subject: You Might Be A Nurse If . . .
1. You have the bladder capacity of 5 people.
2. You have your weekends off planned for a year in advance.
3. You believe that "ask a nurse" is an evil plot.
4. You believe that unspeakable evils will befall you if the phrase "wow, it's really quiet" is uttered.
5. You mutter, "great veins" when being introduced to a stranger.
6. You believe chocolate is a food group.
7. Your favorite sedative is exhaustion.
8. You think that caffeine should be available in IV form.
9. You have ever had a patient look you straight in the eye and say, "I have no idea how that got stuck in there..
10. You have been exposed to so many x-rays that you consider radiation a form of birth control.
11. You have ever had a patient say, "but I'm not pregnant; I can't be pregnant, how can I be having a baby?"
12. You have ever had a patient control his seizures when offered some food.
13. Your feet are flatter and tougher than Fred Flinstone's..
14. Your alcoholically challenged patients know you by your first name, and can point to "their room".
15. The hems in your scrub pants are held in with steristrips.
16. You refer to motorcyclists as "organ donors."
17. You are the only one at the dinner table NOT allowed to talk about your day at work.
18. You've ever had a patient with a nose-ring tell you, "I'm afraid of shots."
19. You believe that the sight of a full moon can ruin a perfectly good day.
20. You stare at someone in utter disbelief when he or she actually covers his or her mouth when coughing.
21. You think of chocolates, coffee, Coca-Cola and the cafeteria's frozen yogurt when anyone mentions the 4 food groups.
22. You've ever sworn you are going to have "NO CODE" tatooed on your chest.