What a whirlwind. So much has happened in so little time. I have lost track of my blog. Bound to happen eventually. Lets see... My second semester of physical therapy school is over and done. I am still holding that 4.0 and I am learning so much, but more importantly, I have made so many precious friends. To go into further detail would require a novel, not a blog. Finals were stressful... to the point where I almost got addicted to studying and had to re-evaluate my priorities in life. But I prevailed and the 4 week Christmas came and went. The break called for a lot of family, driving, food, and laughs. We had an amazing Christmas and made some special memories. And though December 26th is usually the most depressing day of the year (because Christmas is another 365 days away) we left for the beautiful Smokey Mountains and had an amazing week of vacation.
The family vacation ended just as quickly as it started. We all relaxed, played Catch Phrase and conquered the world in Risk, went shopping (maybe a little too much... so sue me), watched bowl games, cheered on Drew Brees as he broke the NFL over all record for most passing yards in a season, and enjoyed an amazing view of the Smokey Mountains from our cabin. Though we had a good shot of the fireworks in downtown Gatlinburg on New Year's Eve, Steven and I decided to experience downtown and ended up waiting 45 minutes for a Chocolate milkshake at Johnny Rockets diner. Terrible. In my frustrated rage we were able to walk back to our car parked a mile outside of town in record time. We drove home on a Sunday, had just enough time to unpack and then we started planning Dylan's going away dinner.
Dylan left for basic training in Ft. Benning, Georgia on Tuesday January 3rd. The night before we had a big meal for him and invited his new girlfriend Meghan over to share the last few hours with Dylan before he left us for 5 months. We dropped him of at the Marriot in downtown Jackson on Tuesday afternoon and surprisingly enough I only saw a few tears from Mom. Apparently she saved them all for Tuesday night... Wednesday... oh AND Thursday. Apparently he had over a week of what is called "reception" before he actually began the yelling 24/7 and the "Yes Drill Sergeant"s. We got a phone call this past weekend and he gave us his love. I am very proud of him. As Americans, we should be grateful for all of our troops, but the troops now hold an even bigger place in my heart since Little Brother is learning to defend me and my rights. He was born to do this, and I know God is leading him down an amazing path.
This week began the first week of my third semester of PT school. In May, I will offically be done with my first year! It has been a long week. We have learned a lot already, but life doesn't slow down even if classes have started back.
Today during goniometry lab, I received a phone call from Steven informing me that a good friend from our Sunday School class suffered severe injuries from a motorcycle accident this morning (the first sunny and picturesque morning in over a week). He was taken to UMC where it was discovered that he had completely broken his T4 vertebrae and was paralyzed from the chest down. I know that God has a plan and that He is going to bring about good from this, but tragedy is tragedy and this was just terrible news. Luckily he is alive and stable in the SICU, but he is in a lot of pain. God's plan may not always be the one we want of the one we choose, but it always works out in the end no matter how detrimental the circumstances may be. I just pray that God will place a hand on him, his wife and their families.
This past Sunday, Brother Phil spoke about Jesus washing his disciples feet. He spoke of how humbling that experience is for anyone, and for the Lord to offer surely struck the disciples as odd. Since He is the Son of Man, they refused at first, but explains to his disciples after washing their dirty feet why he did so:
"Do you understand what I was doing? You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord' and you are right because it is true. And since I, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feel, you ought to wash other's feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. How true it is that a servant is not greater than the master. Nor are the messengers more important than the one who sends them. You know these things - now do them! That is the path of blessing" John 13:12-17
Jesus showed unconditional love to his disciples -- his followers. However, in order to show others unconditional love, the disciples needed a demonstration as to what that was. It is our duty to show this love to everyone we come in contact with. We aren't to pass judgement or look the other way, we are to love unconditionally no matter HOW DIRTY THE FEET. This sermon definitely reflected on my pride and my tendency to hold my head above others because of their "dirty feet". How humbling to be told that I am certainly not greater than the Lord my God, and yet he washed the dirt off of undeserving feet. And since he did, so should I. We ended the sermon with a song called "Who Can Satisfy" that always gets my tear ducts flowing. The chorus goes:
"There is a Fountain, who is a King. Victorious warrior and Lord of everything. My Rock my Shelter, my very own. Blessed Redeemer who stands upon the Throne."
I pray this song especially considering the events that have happened this week. That that couple in our Sunday school class will feel God's unconditional and unfailing love and that he will be their rock and their shelter. He is their victorious Warrior in this time. And with Him, they can do all things.
Stay strong, pray hard, and God bless.
P.S. Here are some pictures from recent events. Enjoy!
