Work, Sally Flies Out, extended Kahn family

I worked the early shift. I took Sally to the airport which was hard on Amy since it was so nice having her here. She was a blessing, and we will never forget what she did for us during these momentous months before and after the twins were born. Mom, Dad, Ben, and D.J. came over for dinner (KFC). My parents got Ruth an early birthday gift, a Radio Flyer bicycle (no pedals, foot propelled). I also got a call from Darron who I had not talked to in awhile. It has been a great evening. I am catching up on the surveys and logging data.
-
Hebrews 9:27 "Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him."
-
I would like to focus on the important things, not patient satisfaction scores, RVUs, acceptance from peers, etc. The important things are that we face judgment after our death. The most important thing is that Christ died for our sins to give us salvation. I need a constant reminder of priorities in life (and the afterlife).

Pediatrician, labs, home

We went to Dr. Peterman's office and the twins gained weight which was good news. We stopped by the lab to check their bilirubin which ended up being not such a good experience. (Their bilirubins were okay.) At home, we cleaned up around the house.
-
Hebrews 8
-
Not much to say about this one.

Visitors, Home Depot, Mall

Keri and Eliot came to visit as did Sue and Jake. We had lunch with Keri and Eliot before I took Ruth to watch movies in bed. She finally went down for a nap so Amy and I took the twins to Home Depot to get some shades for the windows since it has been a hot summer. We met Angela, Will, and Sam at Northpark for dinner. TGIFridays had a great seating area in the mall, but outside their restaurant where the kids could move around. I enjoyed the time with Ruth walking with her around the mall. Betty has been having more spit up. I picked her up when we got home because of more spit up, and it is amazing how little she is. Lucy looks so big compared to Betty.
-
Hebrews 7:24 "but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25Therefore he is able to save completely[c] those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them."
-
It is a great reminder that there is no limit to Christ's ability to save everyone. I want to live like I believe this, shown both in my confidence of how to live and not to worry. I want to pray harder for my brothers and parents in hopes of their salvation.

Twins

Thurs, June 18: This is Lucy and Betty's birthday. Amy's water broke around 3am so we went into the hospital. We were blessed to have everything work out so that Amy did not have to undergo a C-section. The girls are beautiful. It has been great having so much family around.



Fri, June 19: After an afternoon nap, life seemed so much better! The feedings went much smoother tonight since they are latching and Amy was able to tandem feed by the end of the day.



Sat, June 20: We took the girls home. The grandparents spent a lot of time together today (holding the babies and watching the U.S. Open. We all ate at Luby's for dinner.



Sun, June 21: We ate lunch at Cafe Express. Ruth has been more fussy lately. I know the addition of the twins is tough on her so my prayer is that we can help her with this.



Mon, June 22: We went to the pediatrician. It was good to hear that Betty and Lucy each only lost one ounce from their discharge weight. We then went to the Container Store an maternity store before coming home to eat lunch. We took Ruth to Jackson's house to play. Lisa stopped by to chat and drop off survey forms. Ben and D.J. came over for dinner. We all had a great conversation with Dwight about finances, politics, and the future. Hopefully we can do it again soon.



Tues, June 23: We rearranged the closet and drawers in the girls' room. We picked up Chick-Fil-A on the way to Babies R Us in Plano. I am learning that I am such a softy. I would have bought Ruth a wagon that she really wanted had Amy not been there. I need to learn how to handle and discipline Ruth. She is going through a tough time, but I also want to do what is best for her in the long run. Giving in and being understanding of her situation needs to be balanced with raising her the right way. Suzanne came over to visit, but I mainly worked on catching up on the forms. I continue to think about the big picture and wonder what God has in store for me in terms of career goals as I collect data in hopes of increasing patient satisfaction scores. All these things seem less important when I realize the Hope, Joy, and Grace he has provided me with.
-
Hebrews 6:12 "We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised."
-
I fall into complacency and laziness all to often. This passage reminds me of the need for faith and patience to keep me moving in the right direction. If I can believe and live in a such a way, all the other things that take me away from God will no longer control me. I want to live each day with a passion, eager to follow His plan. Having a purpose energizes me. I will be excited about each day when I focus on what He has in store for me.

work

I had a great day of work. It was nice seeing Ruth in the window as I drove home. I played some guitar and am looking forward to a couple of days off.
-
Hebrews 5

I didn't find a verse I wanted to quote today.

8th Anniversary

I went to talk with Carl Couch about being a physician leader. It was a very encouraging and productive meeting. I enjoyed telling him about my background and hearing about his. I recalled my days at Tech and my involvement with the pre-med society. He gave wonderful advice, and I came away very excited with what God has in store for me. He invited me to a Bible study for Garland physicians so I look forward to that monthly get together. Work was great, and I came home to give Ruth a ride in her red and yellow car. Amy and I went to Penne Pomodoro in Lakewood for our anniversary dinner. It has been eight great years.
-
Hebrews 4:15 "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin."
-
I have been wanting to study and shadow various staff members to see what they go through in their jobs so that I could better understand how the ED flows. I want to be in their shoes to understand where improvements could be made. It seems Jesus did this very thing by coming to Earth in flesh and blood. He faced temptation and felt pain in the most severe way. Christ definitely understands us well though his time in this world prior to his death and resurrection.

Bad Habit

I have not planned on only visiting this blog once a week. Things seem busier, but no excuses. If I want to make time for the Lord, I will read Scripture daily and post on here a few thoughts. Unfortunately, I have not been disciplined enough to do so as of late. Here is a run down of what has happened since I last blogged.

Tues, June 9: I went to the Baylor ABC course. Amy's right leg is more swollen so the Ob covering today's appointment ordered sono which ended up being negative for DVT. I went riding on my bicycle with Nick for the first time, and I had a good time. Ben and D.J. came over to watch some NBA Finals which ended up being Orlando's only win against the Lakers.

Weds, June 10: Amy and I went early so that I could talk at nursing shift report and then to discuss the project at ED staff meeting. Lisa and I went to Baylor ABC afterwards. Amy texted me that her Ob sono shows Betty to be 6lbs 1oz and Lucy to be 5lbs 12 oz! A big storm came into the DFW this evening.

Thurs, June 11: It continued to rain hard as I went to play early morning basketball. We had lots of water leak into the gym. I had a personal trainer session after b-ball. There were lights out and flooding which caused me to take a detour home. As I was napping, I heard lightning hit nearby and have power come on and off. It was amazingly sunny and dry by the time I went into work.

Fri, June 12: Angela came over to do LLSA questions and had lunch with us. I went to work and had a great chat with Terry, the nursing supervisor, at the end of my shift.

Sat, June 13: We went to Firewheel and had a great time. While Amy and Sally shopped at Carters, Ruth and I explored the area around the streams and fountain. A radio station was doing a promotional giveaway so we wandered around there and had pretzel sticks and a slushy. Ruth enjoyed the train playground again. We all went to eat lunch at Hoolihans. It reminded me of St. Louis so I called Ar Kasem and Ar Huang. We invited them to Dallas for July 4th. Later, they would email us saying they would not be able to come. We stopped at Baylor Garland on the way back to pick up more forms. I enjoyed taking Amy around in a wheelchair to see the new set up during construction. Lynn and Larissa came to visit at the house. We received an email from the Blacks. We will plan on meeting for the Baylor game at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington instead of going Nebraska. Amy and I looked at options for ACEP in Boston as a replacement trip.

Sun, June 14: We all went to church and ate lunch at Corner Bakery. I had a short nap since Ruth had trouble sleeping. I went to work that afternoon.

Mon, June 15: Ben came over during his downtime on his Presby Ob rotation. We had brunch at Einstein Bagel. At Northpark Mall, we got our car cleaned while we walked up and down escalators. I had fun walking around with Ruth. We had some good father/daughter time while Amy and Sally checked out some makeup. Ruth and I shared some yogurt with chocolate chips. Ruth fell asleep while we went by George's for snow cones, Lone Star Baby, and Target. We dropped Sally off, and I drove Amy to her hair appointment. I got some reading done and when Ruth woke up, we hung out in the minivan. Ruth enjoyed sitting in the regular seat and watching her alphabet DVD. We had a change of plans so we went to dinner with Ben and Suzanne at Gloria's. They came over to the house afterwards.

-

Hebrews 3:1 "Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest who we confess."

-

I loved the way this chapter started by reminding me where to focus. I have been having great quiet times and prayer sessions on the drive to work. I feel closest to Him as I drive to the ED, but then I get too busy for Christ during shift. I sometime remember to talk to Him again on the drive home. Sadly, the rest of my time is spent away from Him. If I could focus on Him during the rest of my days, I would be much closer to Christ.

Back to Blogging

I have been working hard on my project to improve patient satisfaction so it has been quite busy this second week of implementation. Amy has been a tremendout help with data entry and graphs. I go back to the ABC Baylor course tomorrow. I never thought I would have this much progress one month later. A week in review...

Sunday, May 31: I talked to Dwight about the Disney book on our walk to and from Starbucks. Amy got to go to church as this is 34wk and 0 days for her so she now gets one outing per day. The whole Andrews family and Naomi came to church and ate lunch at Macaroni Grill. Mom, Ben, D.J. The Andrews family went back home except for Sally. I went to look at possible rentals for Ben and his friends to live in. They dropped me off at church a great praise and worship session. Nick and I went to eat at the new Penne Pomodoro in Lakewood. We had a great talk about various things.

Monday, June 1: Work

Tuesday, June 2: Work

Weds, June 3: I took Sally to the airport so that she could go to Jaclyn's high school graduation. We napped and went to the Zenarosa's house. The Arze family was there also. There were lots of kids there. Jordan did a great job of watching Ruth and taking care of her.

Thurs, June 4: We went to our Ob sonogram before I went to work.

Friday, June 5: I went swimming with Amy and Ruth at Suzanne's pool. Anand and Alissa came over for some Thai food.

Sat, June 6: Javier came over to help with various lighting issues. I gave Angela a sono that she had left in a drawer at work and went to run some errands. The Wolf family came over for dinner.

Sun, June 7: We ate lunch with the Kennedys in our front yard after church. Nick and I went to get me a new road bike before picking up Sally at the airport. I took Ruth to play with Jackson in the Shull's yard. We ended up invited the Shulls and Gins to our house for dinner with the Kennedys. I saw Orlando miss a well designed alley-oop with 0.6 seconds left to win in regulation so the Lakers took a 2-0 lead by winning in OT.

Mon, June 8: I went into work early to get provider data for the forms. Amy and I got graphs ready for staff meeting.
-
Hebrews 2:18 "18Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted."
-
I often am tempted to lose faith, to get angry, to become worried about what life throws at me. I must remember to lean on Him because Jesus has been tempted and has suffered. He surely can help with his experience and in addition to that, his being God.

A day with the family

After we went to Suzanne and Tim's party at noon, we brought food home for lunch. Nick and Jaklin stopped by to join us which was fun. While Ruth took a nap, Amy and I tried to solve various ED problems. She devised a few options for a five physician shift day while I finished reading, "If Disney Ran Your Hospital: 9 1/2 Things You Would Do Differently." I went and played outside with Ruth before Ben and Naomi brought home dinner from Cafe Express. We watched some of the NCAA Baseball tournament and saw Orlando beat the Cavs to advance to the NBA finals. I reread some of the Press Ganey Solutions Starter feeling some discouragement realizing that improving our scores will be a tough task. I had seen progress this week with my new project implemented and have been excited with a vision of success from the various effects made possible by the project. Still, there is a long ways to go for this project and my possible career in administration and management so I need to stay positive and enjoy what I am doing. This is the same philosophy I need for each shift.
-
Hebrews 1:9-12 "You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy." 10He also says, "In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. 11They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. 12You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end."
-
These verses are a reminder of God's presence at the beginning of time and the fact that he will remain forever. I have found my life to be dissatisfied when there is no purpose, no goal to strive for. I have created new and lofty goals, but I am excited to have a passion for a goal now. I am most thankful for the highest goal in my life, to glorify Him. I want to remember that every day. Whether I am succeeding at home and/or work or if I feel discouraged, I want to make Christ my most prized goal.

all day with family

After 7 days of going to the hospital, it was nice to spend the entire day with Amy and Ruth. Sally came with us to the Ob appointment. Dwight brought their armoire. Balmore brought his friend, Javier, to help move the armoire into our house. It was great to see Balmore again. I hope to keep in contact with him more. Ben and Naomi arrived before Ruth went to bed.
-
Philemon 1:4 "I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers"
-

kinda late entry: Thurs, May 28

I got up with ideas in my head so I worked on them in addition to my ABC course homework and project. I went to work early to help since a provider was ill. I implemented by incentive program for the staff to help the project flourish. I am getting really excited about the implementation and development of the process. I spoke to Dwight the whole drive home about what was going on in my life and my project. It was great to hear him finish by saying it was nice to hear me excited about my current plans. I came home to a big hug by Ruth. I got caught up from the last week of not reading the Bible and here I am on the blog.
-
Titus 3:4 "But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy."
-
I have enjoyed having a new sense of direction and goals in my life. I love working hard for my project so that I affect change and gain favor. I am glad God does not require this type of work and credibility from exacting change, getting an MBA, and showing proven leadership skills through process improvement. Instead, we just have to accept his mercy and believe.

late entry: Weds, May 28: day off at work, Kennedys come over

I got up to work on my project and call in to remind everyone of the forms. It was nice to see Ruth and Amy since I had been at work so much. We had breakfast on the kitchen porch. I went to the hospital to chat with Sue about improving processes with the nurses and she showed me what was going on in their meetings. I had lunch with Steve and got to hear him talk about various experiences. We did our study of triage flow. After he left, I met with Felicia and Judy to talk about other issues. At home, the Kennedys brought over dinner. I got to chat a lot with Nick about my plans, aspirations, and goals. We discussed business and medicine.
-
Titus 2:6-8 "Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. 7In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us."
-
I want to be a leader who leads by example. I want to show integrity and be fundamentally sound in various skills and also show that I am a follower of the most fundamentally sound doctrine, His word.

late entry: Tues, May 27: meeting with lab dept

I went to work again. Today, it was to talk to the lab about helping us with processes in the ED. I am learning to be a better communicator and representative for our ED. Afterwards, I discussed various things with Arze before working my RME shift. I absolutely loved today's shift. Those formed made me slow down and really connect with patients. It felt really good. I tried to go above and beyond... and further in terms of patient satisfaction. I stopped to chat with Patsy and had a good talk/listen. She is very passionate about Baylor and our ED. She really cares about patients and their emotional well being so I gained a lot of insight into where I need to be.
-
Titus 1:2 "a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time"
-
I want to focus more on the hope of eternal life instead of the struggle of this temporary world.

late entry for Mon, 5-26: D-day for my project

I mailed my application for the physician MBA program at UTD and spoke to the program director by phone. He was nice, and I continue to be excited of my new goals. I drove by the Kennedys to work and noticed their street was barricaded for their yearly Memorial Day Block Party. I got to work early to see how implimentation of my new project was going. I went and spoke to all staff related to the ED to see what they would like to see improved from their point of view.
-
2 Timothy 4:2 "Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction."
-
I need to witness more, with words and actions. I could use a little patience also.

very late entry: Sun, May 25

I missed out on church since I was between shifts.
-
2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
-
This verse is a good reminder of the utility of His word.

very late entry: Sat, May 24

It was nice to have some time at home before going into work.
-
2 Timothy 2:5 "Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules."
-
A nice verse to encourage competition with morals.

late entry: Fri, May 23 (Lebron's historic shot)

I went to work and had a good shift. Not a bad way a to start a 5 day stretch. I brought home KFC/Taco Bell for Dad, D.J., Sally, Amy, and Ruth. We sat outside until the mosquitos took over. It was great to have D.J. and Dad in town. We watched game two of the Eastern Conference Finals. I scared Ruthie when I shouted after Lebron's game winning three after a timeout with 1 second left in the game. I remember watching Bird's steal and winning assist to Dennis Johnson against Detroit and Magic's winning baby hook also in the Boston Garden. I remember watching several Jordan moments. This one will go down in the memory banks. I continue to get excited about looking into physician executive MBA programs. I have found a some that seem to fit with my goals. I am starting to get books in the mail that I purchased in regards to health care administration and management. My prayer is that God gives me guidance and wisdom in decisions for my family's future. I pray that I do something great for the Kingdom and not just for myself.
-
2 Timothy 1: 8 "So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God"
-
I usually am proud to talk about my faith, but there are times I am weak and may feel ashamed so I definitely pray for a strength and confidence in witnessing. The suffering that goes along with being a Believer is difficult, but something I will proudly do. Doing what Jesus wants many times leads to situations that are not what I want. It may hurt. It may be less profitable or win fewer friends. I pray for boldness and the desire to follow Him despite any consequences this world may have.

late entry: Thurs, May 28

I got up early for b-ball and had a good time. We had a visit from Angela and Sam. Mom left for the lakehouse. It was great having her for the week. I went and picked up Sally at the airport.
-
1 Timothy 6:6-10 "But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."
-
I want the contentment mentioned above. I take so much for granted and expect so much, but forget that I am owed nothing. I need be thankful for all that I have. I want to avoid the love of money. My prayer is to trust and desire God and not money.

late entry: Weds, May 27

I went to get supplies for my ABC Baylor project at Sam's in the morning with Ruth and Mom. We had lunch in the front yard. We went to the Harvey's for a small group social in the late afternoon. Mom got to meet everyone. We came home and Ben joined us for dinner.-
1 Timothy 5:24 "The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them."
-
I am not sure which sins of mine are obvious versus trailing behind me. I hope to overcome various sins in my life, but I am also proud of those that had been a problem in the past.

Tues, May 19

I took Mom and Ruth to a new Thai restaurant just off of Skillman. The owner was nice and stopped to chat with us. I got to the hospital a couple of hours early to get my new project set up.
-
1 Timothy 4:4 "For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer."
-
I must remember that God created everything. I need to be thankful for all the good and the bad that I encounter. I definitely do not thank Him enough for what I have.

late entry: Mon, May 18

I got some sleep. Then I went with Mom and Ruth to run some errands. We brought food back to eat in the front yard which was great with the nice weather. I had a nice long nap in the afternoon. We had leftovers for dinner. I chatted with Dwight about the future and business/real estate while sitting in the front yard. The night ended with Mom being upset so I pray for better communication between me and her. We want her to feel respected and loved. I want her to love Amy.
-
I don't have much to comment on 1 Timothy 3.

late entry: Sun, May 17

While Amy stayed at home, we all went to get food from Einstein Bagel to bring back for brunch. Nick and Jaklin joined us in the front yard to hang out. Mom took Dad to the airport. I found out while I was at work that Sam had a fever so Nick and Angela took him to Children's after discussing with their pediatrician. They were in the waiting room all night due to lots of traumas. When I finished my shift, I went to Children's to visit them. I also said hello to the nurses and attendings at Parkland. I left for home when the Kennedys got back into the ED. I set off the alarm at the house and woke Ruth up who kept saying, "Daddy set off alarm." It was wonderful to chat and hug Ruth while she was awake even if it was 5am.
-
1 Timothy 2:8 "I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing."
-
I need to pray more. I need to address the problems of everyday life with prayer and avoid anger and arguing. I definitely feel a difference when I am closer to God, but I have a long ways to go.

late entry: Sat, 5-16-09

It was a rainy day. Mom, Dad, Ruth, and I went to eat lunch at Asian Mint in Uptown. Ben came over and brought Campisi's.
-
1 Timothy 1:17 "Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen."
-
The song King Eternal is uses this verse. It reminds me of when I was at the Southcrest Univeristy Ministry in Lubbock. I am hoping to meet up with Justin who led worship there. This verse talks about our invisible God. I wish I would remember Him through my days, but because I cannot physically see Him, I tend to forget about Him. I pray for focus on Him throughout every day.

Nana goes home, visit to the doctor, Papa and Yaya arrive

We took Sally to the airport. It was been such a blessing to have her here. I am glad she will be coming back soon. We ate burgers from Chip's and went to the Ob. The ultrasound was great. The twins are growing so we are thankful God is watching over this pregnancy (and her cervix is great also).
-
2 Thessalonians 3:3 "But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one."
-
I cannot do anything on my own. I need His help. Fortunately, He is faithful. I am relieved to know that he is strong and will protect us all. I have concerns here and there, but I must remember that He not only is in control, but He will take care of us with His great plans.

late entry for Thu, 5-14-09: work

I went to work. I came home from work.
-
2 Thessalonians 2:15 "So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter."
-
Standing firm is not so easy. The pressures of this world seem so important. I was to be free. I want to feel free. I want to rely only on Christ. I really want to put Him first. I will try to stand firm.

ABC Baylor day 2; leadership meeting in the living room

Another day of very useful information at the ABC course. I am very hopeful this project that I am working on will incur positive and lasting changes. Afterwards, Arze and Lisa came over to chat about various departmental issues. A few things looked to be improved. Others look to be unsolvable. It was a great feeling to close another leadership meeting in prayer, especially in my home. I will continue to pray for wisdom and his guidance in leadership for me and those around me. During dinner, Ruth was being disobedient, spitting out her food, and making a mess so I felt the need to discipline her. I am still not sure if I want to incorporate spanking, but it may become necessary. For now, telling her that she was in trouble and placing her in the pack and play worked. She did not like it. When I walked out of the bedroom, she cried, "Daddy!" It broke my heart. I was glad to tell her that I love her before and after the disciplining. It is going to be tough, but I hope to get better at my fatherly duties.
-
Romans 12:6-8 "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."
-
This was my daily email from thedailybibleverse.org that I read this morning. I sent it to those that I felt needed encouragement during tough times of leadership. I am glad God is here when things get difficult. He is always here, and I take him for granted when times are good. My prayer is that I lean on him always, through good times and bad.

late entry for Tue, 5-12-09: ABC Baylor Course; dinner with Ben

I went to the ABC (Accelerating Best Care) Baylor course today which was from 8am-5pm. I met leaders from various Baylor institutions including directors and associate directors for 3 other EDs in DFW. It was nice chatting about what was going on in their EDs and comparing it to mine. This course has some very useful information that I hope to integrate into my role as associate director and any future roles I may have. When I came home, Amy and Sally were getting ready for girls' night at our house. I took Ruth out to eat at Dream Cafe with Ar Ben while the small group women were at our house. Ben and I had great conversations about recent American history (Space Race, 9-11-01, Bay of Pigs) and other random topics. We drove to get bubble tea, and Ruth really enjoyed hers (without bubbles, of course).
-
2 Thessalonians 1:6-7 "God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels."
-
I need to recite those three words, "God is just." I need to remember this when I am mad at God or when I don't understand why life is unfair. I want to think daily of my need to glorify Him and to understand his righteousness will prevail. All the other things of this world are insignificant and cannot and should not ruin my day.

Home life

I got home around 2:50am from work, but woke up at 6am thirsty (probably from my 3am pizza). I decided to read our new Dobson book "The New Dare to Discipline" since I was up. I ended up reading half of it today, and it has some good tips. Angela brought over lunch. After naps, we hung out in the front yard. I was able to get the PlusOne seat back out and put Ruth's car seat on it. We opened up the boxes for the twin's car seats. Ben came over for some barbeque. I am now watching the Mavs avoid a sweep in a close game.
-
1 Thessalonians 5:14-18 "And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
-
These verses are full of great points. Instructions to witness, be compassionate, and remain patient are ones I need daily. I am finding that not paying back "wrong for wrong" is difficult but what God wants from me. The last part are passages that would be good to commit to memory.

late entry for Sun, 5-10-09; Church, Harvey's house, work

I took Ruth to church. She had not worn a hat in awhile. We got there a little late so I took her in with me so that we didn't miss Matthew's baby dedication. Ruth was quiet for most of the service as we sat in the back. She made it through the whole service. Afterwards we went to the Harvey's house for Ethan's birthday party. I took a nap at home before going to work. After work, Amy and I chatted for awhile.
-
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words."
-
This is a reminder of the Second Coming and the encouragement we should give to our fellow Christians. It is also a warning to me that I should pray harder for those I care about who are not yet believers.

late entry for Sat, 5-9-09: gift shopping, Brookshires, Catings

Ruth and I went to get Mother's Day gifts at Logos and the Apple Store. She fell asleep on the way home. I stopped by the Kennedys to use their wrapping paper. The Brookshires and Catings came over to watch the Mavs lose on a last second three by Carmelo (after a foul that wasn't called when the Mavs had a foul to give).
-
1 Thessalonians 3:8 "For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord."
-
I want to really live. I have been reminded more often through the day to stand firm in the Lord, but I long to live this way continuously throughout each day.

late entry for Fri, 5-8-09

Nick Upatham brought lunch. We chatted for awhile about several deep topics. I went to work.
-
1 Thessalonians 2:4 "On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. "
-
My daily battle to try to live for Christ and not this world continues.
-
1 Thessalonians 2:9 "Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you."
-
This is a good reminder that God may ask me to work for him day or night.

exercise, resolution, Blaisdells

I woke up early to play b-ball. I was a little out of shape having not played in over a week or two. It was great to get back out there. I took Ruth to the park. We had a good "chat" on the walk up and back. She didn't really want to slide but enjoyed going up and down the stairs. Ruth did not want to nap but fell asleep on top of me (after I fell asleep). Amy and I read a chapter out of Piper's "Pierced by the Word." It focused on giving God all our worries. He quoted 1 Peter 2:23 "When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly." I will use that to as guidance on how to handle the damaged TV situation. I feel we could fight for the repair company to pay for the damage that was caused by them. I will have to put my ego aside and fight for the right reasons instead of trying to retaliate. I went to the gym while Keri, Eliot, Tina, and Jack came over. I went to return a dish across the street and ran into Nick who was bicycling home. During our chat, one of the RaiderPower message board members drove by and recognized me. He stopped to introduce himself. We had the Blaisdells over for dinner and learned a few things about twin girls.
. Tonight, I had a great talk with Amy's mom. It probably paralleled the enormity of our discussions in July of 2002 about whether I should pursue a career in pediatric cardiothoracic surgery. We discussed the twins and other things, but the main part of the talk was on my job and happiness. I made a comment that the point of a job is to make money. She disagreed. I was challenged and came to realize that as with everything, the point is to glorify God. It is not so that I can make money or be happy. It is to help people, show compassion, and be Christ to others. We get wrapped up in moving the ED, improving flow, improving billing and documentation, and wanting to be good at what we do from a worldly standard. However, we will never be happy when trying to achieve goals set forth by mere mortals. The ultimate goal is to further the Kingdom. I know I will enjoy work and life more if I do it for His purpose. I am glad I asked her to chat tonight.
-
1 Peter 2:23 "When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly."
-
"Turn the other cheek" is very popular but this one refers specifically to the cross which yields a strong message.

meetings

I was sad to leave Ruth for ED meeting which went well. I came home to see the family and the Kennedys who were visiting. I rode with them to Bible study at the Brookshires.
-
Ephesians 6:19-20 "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.)
-
The point of the lesson was on the armor of God, but I like these verses that are on my email signature because I want to be able to witness in a manner that is fearless. It has been a great study through Ephesians with the small group. I feel blessed to know and study with each family. I am sure our next set of lessons will also be great.

late entry for Tues, 5-5-09: the TV fiasco

So Amy and I were headed to the hospital for her Ob appointment when Sally calls to say that the TV repair people had brought back our TV with damage to the screen. They claimed it was there already. It was definitely not there before. I pray that we respond appropriately in a Christ-like matter. The Ob visit went well. I worked my second RME shift in a row. I saw Enrique at the McDonalds drive through. Amy mentioned some great thoughts. Perhaps our purpose in life is not to be happy or comfortable... maybe it is to glorify God. In our quest to glorify God, hopefully we find joy in that.
-
1 Thessalonians 1:4 "For we know, brothers loved by God, that He has chosen you"
-
It feels great to be chosen. It feels great to be picked for a team on the playground or for a promotion at work. Being elected by God is amazing.

late entry for Mon, 5-4-09

We said goodbye to Dwight since he had to get back to Lubbock. Ruth had a tough day with her runny nose. We played outside some but she finally took a nap after not feeling well. I went to work. On the way home, I got to chat some with the McDonalds manager who always works nights.
-
Colossians 4:5 "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity."
-
I am very deficient in my witnessing. I must make the most of the opportunities that God provides for me.
-
Colossians 4:18 "I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
-
I am reminded of a song by Shane Barnard where his sings, "Remember my chains." I have been complaining about things, but compared to Paul, I have it pretty good.

late entry for Sun, 5-3-09; church, home

I went to church with Dwight. The pastor from North Dallas Family Church was a guest speaker and gave a great sermon. We ate at Macaroni Grill and brought food home to everyone. Ruth ran around the front yard some. Ben brought Bubba's chicken over for dinner.
-
Mark 6:1-6
-
The sermon was about Jesus' return to his hometown and the lack of respect there. The message was about expecting great things from ordinary people.

Children's Museum, nap, Duke

I had a few hours of sleep and then it was time to get ready for the dads/daughters day out since the wives were having a sip-and-see for the new babies in the small group. Ryan and Millie came over. We all drove to the Children's Museum in Fair Park since we didn't know if it would rain on our original plans to go to the zoo. We met Michael and Eliot, Ben and Anna, and Paul and Kimberly there. It was a fun place for the kids to run around and check out the various exhibits. We ate at Chick-Fil-A afterwards. At home, we all took a nap. It was a rainy afternoon. Dwight (the Duke, himself) arrived. Ruth was very happy to see him. We watched the Celtics beat the Bulls in game 7 of a very interesting 1st round series.
-
Colossians 3:12"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
-
I want to discard the sinful characteristics that hold me back. I want to be full of the positive traits that this verse mentions. I definitely need patience because that is a major weakness of mine. I will trust the Lord daily and know that these attributes will follow.

late entry for Fri, 5-1-09

I slept in and got caught up on rest. I went to work and came home.
-
Colossians 2:6-7 "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."
-
I want to continually be strengthened in the faith. I also want to be overflowing with thankfulness. I have been asking a lot from God. It seems during prayer requests, I focus on that and do not have enough praises for God. I have a lot to be thankful for. I want to remember that and not dwell on the things that I want.

Today, I woke up and went to work and came home.
-
Colossians 1:28 "We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ."
-
I am reminded that I do not witness or share the Gospel as I should. I especially feel the need to witness to my family. I have not been consistent in prayer for my family. I will make that a priority again.

Weds, 4-29-09: BUMC, sofa, small group volunteering

I went to bed after 3am when I came home from work. I got up five hours later to have a meeting with someone at BUMC. I enjoyed the talk and am wondering what God has in store for my future. I met with some folks in ED to see a demo of an ultrasound machine that we may get for our ED. When I came home, the new sectional couch was delivered which fit well in our living room. Suzanne came by to visit. I then went to church to help out with the 1st-6th graders. It was interesting to revisit how kids interact and compose themselves. It was pretty easy since they watched a movie so I got to chat some with Juleeta, Ben, Ryan, and Dave. Ruth gave me a hug when I got home. Nothing feels better than that. We watched some George on DVD and sat on the new sofa.
-
Philippians 4:11-13 "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength."
-
I must learn to be content whatever happens. Whether Amy delivers tomorrow twins who have long term complications or we go 37 and a half weeks for c-section to two perfect little girls, the glory goes to God. Verse 13 reminds me of Laura Wilkerson when she won the gold in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. It was memorable because Amy and I were in first year of med school in Galveston, and Wilkerson was from and trained in The Woodlands. She was not expected to do so well. Her immediate reaction to the NBC reporter upon winning the gold was saying something she says before every dive she does: "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me." http://diving.teamusa.org/athlete/athlete/500
That was a great memory because I was still young in my faith and although I honestly didn't follow women's diving, I knew the enormity of that moment. Hearing that profession of faith was encouraging as Amy and I were still new to Galvatraz and so far from home and so early into med school.

late entry for Tues, 4-28-09

I took Ruth to swim lessons, and she did great. She was good about jumping into the pool, letting me put her on her back, and going underwater. I took a nap before going into work. Lots of "flu symptoms" patients coming in.
-
Philippians 3:8-9 "What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith."
-
I want to view this world as it is: a loss. Everything on this earth is temporary. If I can remember that my faith in Christ is the only thing that matters, then the silly things that seem important in my daily life will be put in its place. I remember Dusty teaching from this chapter during the university ministry days, especially verses 2 through 5. Time has flown by.

L&D, Oral Board review for Clint, Kennedys

We had a loud thunderstorm this morning. After it was over, Ruth woke up crying. She had not done this in some time. I think she was having a bad dream possibly influenced by her having to leave Amy at L&D last night. We all went to visit Amy at the hospital. She was discharged after noon. Ruth and Amy took a nap at home while I helped Clint do some oral board cases. The Kennedys brought over lasagna and salad. Will, Nick, Ruth, and I walked down Cornelia and visited with some of their friends while Sally, Amy, Angela, and Sam hung out at home.
-
Philippians 2:14 "Do everything without complaining or arguing"
-
I definitely want to be able to do this. Nothing is worse than complaining and whining. I hope I can be someone who avoids this.

late entry: Sunday overnight L&D stay

I took Ruth to church while Sally stayed home with Amy. Neil gave me a shout out in regards to relating ED triage to the story of Jesus stopping to help the bleeding woman before the dying girl in Mark 5:21. It was good lesson on not being rushed. I need to learn to be more patient. Ruth and I ate lunch with Michael. At home, we took a nap. I went to work where I later got a call from Amy that she was having a lot of contractions despite orally hydrating so the ob had her go to L&D. She got admitted for overnight. I went to visit her after work. We were fortunate that Sally is in town to stay at home with Ruth.
-
Philippians 1:20 "I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death."
-
I skipped Ephesians since our small group has been going through this book during the current series. Reading Philippians brings back great memories from when I read it during 1st year of medical school. It is filled with lots of frequently quoted passages that I recognize. This verse reminds me to never be ashamed of the Gospel and to have courage in showing my faith. Prayer for Amy and the twins to avoid complications. Praise that the hospital stay has been a good one with reassuring test results thus far.

We woke up to see that the house across from Sperry from us had a moving truck. Unfortunately, they unloaded an outdoor bench with a Longhorn symbol on it. Ruth and I went to run errands and picked up a few books and puzzle boards with numbers and letters. We came home to have lunch with Amy. Ruth and I headed back out to get Nana at the airport. Ruth fell asleep on the way out there but woke up when we got home. Suzanne had come over to chat with Amy. I watched some of the Mavs-Spurs game. Ruth, Sally, and I went to the furniture store to get more seating in the living room. We brought Arby's back for dinner. Mavs are up 3-1 now. Crabtree went #10 to San Fran. Amy and I went through and documented on excel numbers from the beginning (July 2007).
-
Galatians 6:14 "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."
-
I owe everything to Christ. May I never forget this.
-
Galatians 6:2 "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."
-
I hope to be a strong fellow Christian to everyone. I have appreciated the times (including now) that others have helped me out. I want to be as helpful to others when I can.

Mom left at 7am to beat the rush hour traffic. Later, Ruth and I went to return an outdoor chair at Target. We bought some milk and also stopped by Central Market for some Watermelon and lunch for Amy. Ruth fell asleep on the way home and napped at home with Amy. I went out for lunch at Ali Baba with Clint and Patricia who are now engaged. They came over afterwards to chat with Amy and see Ruth. We spent the afternoon trying to decide on new living room furniture in order to increase seating since Amy needs to occupy much of the couch with her feet up. We let Ruth run around in the backyard. Then we watched the news and had leftovers for dinner. Afterwards, we sat in the front yard and enjoyed the evening.
-
Galatians 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."
-
I could use a few of the above qualities. I definitely want to exhibit every one of these, but I let the negative traits get in the way. My prayer is that I am filled with and constantly show love, patience, self-control and the other characteristics.

Work, Gym, Pizza, Mavs

I got up early for work. Afterwards, I went to work out with my trainer. At home, we had Pizza Hut. Ben and Nick Upatham joined us for dinner. The Mavs game ended up being a blow which is fine since Dallas won. I helped load Mom's car since she is leaving in the morning. It has been wonderful having her here. I feel so much better than last night. I am tired, but less frustrated or worried. It is nice to get some perspective and know that although there are hardships and not everything is perfect, we can take one day at a time and trust Him to get us through everything.
-
Galatians 4:8-9 "Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?"
-
A recurring theme is the need to concern myself only with what Jesus wants and not what others think or expect. These verses remind me that now as a believer, there is no reason to go back to being enslaved by things of this world.
-

Clark, Izod, Nap, Front Yard, Family Miscommunications, Nick and Jaklin

Clark and I went to get some Einstein's to bring back to the house for breakfast. I then dropped Clark off at the Crescent so that he could meet a friend. Mom and I took Ruth to another Target today for more shopping. I dropped mom off at the Thai restaurant since Ruth fell asleep on the drive. At home, she woke up so we all watched some George and made deviled eggs. We all took a nap in the afternoon. Mom's friend came to pick her up for dinner. Amy, Ruth, and I played in the front yard and met a neighbor who said the house across from us seems to have sold. We then ate Jason's Deli that was delivered. Afterwards, we sat in the back porch while I talked to Dad on the phone. Apparently he cleared up some misunderstanding in the family. I am doing my best to make everyone happy. I am doing my best to do what is best for my family, my entire family. I am feeling tired and discouraged. We will be fine, though. We just have to fight through. I just realized I stood up my personal trainer for the 2nd time so that just adds to my frustration. Pray that I have the strength to be the best husband, dad, son, and Christian possible. Nick and Jaklin came by to visit, and they were very thoughtful to offer to help. We let them know we will need it with 2 months left.
-
Galatians 3:2 "I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?"
-
I am glad we are saved by faith and grace instead of works. I know we all fall short, and I am currently feeling like I am falling very short from being able to reach my goals of keeping everything under control. I don't know if I can make this all work. Amy's mom is coming on Saturday so I think things will look brighter, but I must remember that I am not in control. If I just trust God, I will feel less discouraged.

Swim, Target, Clark

Mom came with me to Ruth's swim lesson. We brought Burger King home for lunch. After Ruth's nap, Mom and I took Ruth shopping with us at Target. We brought Olive Garden home for dinner. Ben joined us to eat and watch TV before he went went home to nap in preparation for a night psych ED shift. Mom wanted to watch American Idol so we all did that before I went to pick Clark up from his brother's house. We grabbed some snow cones from Bahama Buck's and came home to see everyone. Clark and I got to chat some before we went to bed.
-
Galatians 2:6 "As for those who seemed to be important—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by external appearance—those men added nothing to my message."
-
This passage is a good reminder that external appearance seems to be important, but we must remember to not fall for what this world considers a priority.

Amy on crutches and monitored in L&D

So our plans for putting Amy on more strict bedrest at home was strengthened by the fact that she had a fall today. With the scheduled ob/gyn appointment today, Amy went to get her haircut just in case she was placed on bedrest. On the way out, she twisted her ankle and fell on her bottom. She tried to make an Isaiah Thomas like 1988 NBA Finals game 6 performance but couldn't overcome her ankle injury. I got bought some crutches on the way to her ob appointment, but her gravid uterus makes crutch walking difficult. The sono went well, but the MFM and obstetrician both recommended that Amy go to L&D for 4 hours of monitoring. I got her checked in and went to work a little late. I got an email from Neil who had questions about ED triage so I talked to him on the phone. He was wanting to incorporate some of this into the sermon on Sunday. Meanwhile, Mom took Ruth home. Praise that Amy's KB was negative and the only intervention she got was some terbutaline to stop contractions. Her ankle xray was fine. We were confident of this before the radiograph, but we all know how it works. She was released and Nick drove her home since Suzanne had car trouble and I was doing an RME shift. Work went well. I guess Amy got her warning from the ob that she must take it easy or else she gets admitted for real bedrest. Pray for Amy and the twins to make it to full term without complications (including falls).
-
Mark 5:36 "Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe."
-
I skipped to Mark because Neil is planning on preaching on the story of Jesus healing a sick woman before Jairus' daughter and wanted to relate it to triage in the emergency department. Working RME is quite an eye opening. You sit with registration and the triage nurses on the front lines. You see and hear the frustration by those who wait for hours and see other patients who show up after them yet get taken back before them. They do not see the lines of ambulance stretches who are taking up resources. If they could see the critical patients that are being brought in by EMS and if they understood the triage criteria, it might make things better. Still, waits are long and there are just not enough beds or staff at times. I will be interested what take Neil takes with the ED on Sunday when he preaches on Mark 5.

late entry for Sun, 4-19-09 (Chatting with Janie)

Mom spent most of the day at the Buddhist temple. Janie went with me and Ruth to get the essentials for Amy (snow cone and Arby's roast beef sandwich). I am hoping Amy doesn't get too bored sitting at home in bed, but it's the best thing for the twins who are 28wks and 1 day into the gestation. We are praying for at least 34 weeks but the more, the better. The drive with Janie was nice because I learned some Spanish, and we had a good chat about various other things. It is hard to believe she has been working with our family since 1985. It has been nice having her visit with Mom this weekend. Ruth was very polite as usual saying please and thank you for bites of shaved ice. Amy taught her to say "no thank you," and she seemed to catch on. Before I went to work, I said good-bye to Janie. I wonder when/if I will seen her again.
-
Galatians 1:10 "Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ."
-
This is something I always realize too late. My trying to win the approval of others often supercedes considering what Jesus wants. Trying to please others can become a major problem, and I feel it has more often than not lead to bad decisions in my life. No matter the life stage from childhood, adolescence, young adult, to now, I still worry too much about what people think. My prayer is that I do what Jesus wants from me and not what I think other people will think of me.
-
Reading from my original "blog" seven years ago (http://www.geocities.com/andykahn/trophic_number_15.html), it is interesting to see a reference to one of the earlier Passion CDs. I believe the Revelation 5 passage I quoted that day is in relation to "We Fall Down" by Chris Tomlin. As I drove home from work tonight, I was listening to a commercial on KLTY for a festival on May 2nd that had Chris Tomlin and Kirk Cameron (interesting that the 4/21/02 entry reference LaHaye and Jenkins since Cameron played the lead role in the movie version of their Left Behind book... I liked his performance in Fireproof better btw). Tomlin continues to put out a large number of worship songs played by most churches I have been to since that time. Interesting to see the continuity of leaders in the Christian world.

late entry for Sat, 4-18-09 (a day with Ben, Mom, Janie)

I had not seen Janie in awhile so it was nice to have her visit us with Mom. We had breakfast at IHOP and then picked Ben up. We got some baby slings at a store in Richardson and stopped at the Hong Kong Market in Garland for Mom. We had a late lunch at La Duni on McKinney Ave. The girls had their usual afternoon nap while Ben took Mom to the Thai temple. We all went to dinner at Thai Thai on lower Greenville. Amy, Ruth, and Janie went home. Ben and I stayed with Mom at the restaurant and also snuck into the kitchen to watch the end of the Mavs win over the Spurs in game one of round one of the playoffs. I got to chat with Dr. Upatham about various Ob/Gyn topics. I dropped Ben off and went to bed. It was great to hang out with Ben all day. Unfortunately, Amy had more contractions tonight so no more going out.
-
2 Corinthians 13:11 "Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you."
-
Aim for perfection. That is a good piece of advice. I feel sometimes we become complacent and hope for the best but only shoot for a decent or above average goal. Paul asks us to do more. I will try my best to not only meet minimum standards but do what is best.
-
Prayer for the twins and no more contractions.

late entry for Fri, 4-17-09 (sleep, Bubba's chicken, work)

I slept after my night shift and woke up to some bad news from the mail. The good news is I did not do anything wrong. The bad news is that I got the letter and more information by email. We will pray all goes well. Amy, Ruth, and I delivered Bubba's to the Collier's house. I went to work and came home to eat more chicken. Mom and Janie are actually staying with us. I am going to get some sleep so that I can hang out with them tomorrow.
-
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 "But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
-
I feel weak today. Tired from work, stress from Amy's recent contractions, and bad news in the mail all make me dependent on His power. I will try to learn to delight in weakness as Paul mentions. I could learn a lot from his statement about responding to insults, hardships, and difficulties. Thank You, Lord, for being there for me. I need you now.

late entry for Thurs, 4-16-09 (sleep, sleep, contractions, work)

In anticipation for a night shift, I slept all day. We ate at IHOP. Afterwards, Amy had contractions so I took Ruth into the Tom Thumb to get some essentials since we will put Amy on our modified bedrest. Work was busy.
-
2 Corinthians 11:27 "I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?"
-
Paul talks about his sufferings. Sounds a lot like residency. I am glad to be done with residency but the stress of real world sets in today. Lots of concern with Amy's contractions since we are only 27 weeks. Pray for Amy's health and no complications for the twins.

IHOP, snow cone, Ob, driving around, Kennedys, small group

We went to IHOP for breakfast. Ruth ate eggs, grape, and watermelon pretty well. We stopped by the gym so that I could let my trainer know I would be missing today's session since we just scheduled an Ob appointment since Amy had increased contractions yesterday. We stopped by George's little shaved ice store but he wasn't there. We ate at KFC for lunch and then drove to Bahama Buck's out by Firewheel since we had an hour until the appointment. The Ob said everything seemed okay. Ruth fell asleep on the way home so we decided to drive around a bit in order to let her sleep and so that we could talk some more. Nick rode by on his bicycle. We ended up bringing Bubba's chicken to the Kennedys house. Nick rode with us to church for small group. Sue was kind enough to share her experience with Amy and hopefully convinced Amy that she must take it easy from here on out.
-
2 Corinthians 10:3-4 "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds."
-
It is a constant reminder to myself that we are temporarily. I get so wrapped up in wanting to enjoy and succeed in this world that I forget about what really matters. The rules change when your goals change. His promise of eternal life is so much more important than the things on Earth yet I focus solely on this short lived life. I need to refocus on eternity and Him.
-
Major prayers for Amy's pregnancy with the twins: that she would be able to let go and allow me and others to help her so that she does not go into preterm labor. I pray also for the twins to be healthy and to hang out in the womb for several more weeks so that they do not have any long term complications.

Scott, swim lessons, and work

I woke up to meet Scott Alexander at Starbucks to get his perspective on EmCare as I decide on long term goals. I came home to pick up Ruth for swim lessons. I am looking forward to taking her swimming when there isn't a pool full of kids and moms. I came home and napped before going to work instead of Amy since she had some contractions yesterday and last night. I had not done an RME shift in awhile so it was a nice change of pace. My concern now is that I am eating too much fast food. I had McDonalds on the way to work and Popeyes on the way home. I had Eric bring me McDonalds on Saturday and Sunday night when he came into work. Yes, that's three meals from the golden arches this week so I have reached my limit for the month.
-
2 Corinthians 9:6 "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously."
-
Funny how "What you reap is what you sow" makes me think of a line from Rage Against the Machine when I read this passage. I have come a long way. From stressing about my six weeks grades in fourth grade (where I learned to compute the average of my grades in order know what I needed to make on the final test) until college, working hard in pre-med classes, MCAT, med school, USMLE, and written/oral boards, I now have less concrete goals to reach. Being structured like this for the majority of my life, I had found it hard to decide what to sow from a worldly perspective. Now I am looking at more opportunities for career advancement again as the process never seems to stop. From a Christian perspective, I have lots to sow. I need to get more involved with church and small group. I will pray for God to lay on my heart a desire to give more to the church and to become more active.
-
I was reminiscing at my original "blog" at 1:09pm on Thurs, 1/17/02 at http://www.geocities.com/andykahn/trophic_number_1.html and found this quote: "My family is currently only comprised of me and Amy, but in the not too distant future, I will be a father, and the family will be larger. Time will fly by once again, and I will remember how I was once just a med student." The family is about to be much larger and time has flown by. I am sure time will continue to fly by as our children are older. It is exciting to see where we are now and where we will be in the future.

Shulls, Nick, Will, Ben, Nick, Jaklin

I woke up feeling good that three evening shifts had gone by. We all hung out at home until Amy went to work an RME shift. Ruth and I went to visit with the Shulls across the street since they were in their yard having returned from a trip. Ruth and I then met Will and Nick at the new Dick's Sporting Goods. I bought those cool sunflower seed containers in the shape of a wooden bat. We got snow cones with them, and Ruth and I headed to Lone Star Baby to pick up car seats and strollers for the twins. We met up with Ar Ben for chips and guac. Ruth does so well with Ben now. I remember not too long ago when Ben would be a little disappointed when she didn't completely warm up to him. She is so expressive and loving now. It is a fun time. Ruth and I then picked up Nick and Jaklin to go meet Nick's parents for dinner in Rockwall. It is interesting the similarities in the dynamics between his parents and him/Jaklin. There are not a lot of other Thai-Caucasian couples to compare to but add in the cultural gap of relating to parents from Thailand and I feel (hope) that Ruth should have it a lot easier. What is notable from dinner is that Ruth ate a ton of food. More than I can ever remember. She ate fries (I know, bad Father), some chicken, a lot of broccoli (as she would say "Duke" in remembering that Dwight eats broccoli), and lots of grapes. She is sleeping soundly and has not vomited, yet.
-
2 Corinthians 8:9 "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich."
-
I feel God has definitely overfilled our cup. We are blessed in various ways and often I feel guilty about it. With Christ's example of becoming poor, I would like to honor Him by doing my part to sacrifice for others also. I hope that I can show my love to Him by the way I show love to others.

late entry for Sun, 4-12-09

I missed Easter service since I slept in from work. We went to lunch at Cibus in the Northpark Mall. I drove to work as Amy and Ruth went to the Brookshires for an Easter get together. Work went well.
-
2 Corinthians 7:1 "Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God."
-
I find hope when I read about "these promises" as a reminder of what He has in store for us. I believe that I am doing better in regards to purifying my life from contaminants. I obviously have a long ways to go, but I feel that more of my life is being devoted to what Jesus wants. I could still cut out things here and there that have no positive value in my life or walk. This blog has been dry for the last few days, but with a string of evening/night shifts, I find little energy left to discuss, especially when I cannot discuss the majority of the days events if it is a possible HIPAA violation. I could speak in hypotheticals, but I will just take no chances and not air my experiences from work. The accountability to blog on here helps me to do what I have been missing which is reading Scripture. I can still try to make more time for Him in between shifts, but praise that this stretch is done and prayer that I get through the next stretches.

late entry for Sat, 4-11-09

After waking up from sleeping in from an evening shift, I met Amy and Ruth at Angela's hospital room. We ate lunch with Angela's parents and the Catings. We got some snow cones for the Kennedys, and I went to work.
-
2 Corinthians 6
I didn't find anything I wanted to comment on.

late entry for Friday, 4-10-09

We got a call from the Kennedys that Angela gave birth to a baby boy. We went to visit them at the hospital. Nick and I went out to get lunch for everyone at Whole Foods and of course, snow cones. I went to work at 4pm. It was a busy day with lots of CVAs.
-
2 Corinthians 5: 1 "Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands."
-
I want to live with the understanding that we are here temporarily and our permanent home with God is to come. It is such a challenge to live like I truly believe this.
-
2 Corinthians 5: 7 "We live by faith, not by sight."
-
It is also a challenge for me to live solely by faith and not by my eyes. My prayer is that I am reminded of this and that I rely totally on God.

Hanging Out with the Family

I went to early morning b-ball. For breakfast, we all ate at IHOP and then did some shopping at Target. We went by Lone Star Baby to order a twin stroller and car seats. Of course, we stopped by Amy's new favorite convenience store which houses a snow cone store. At home, Ruth and I hung out and took a nap while Amy got a pedicure with Angela who has a c-section scheduled tomorrow. We all cleaned up around the house and watched the news about the recent carjackings in our part of town which is concerning. We had dinner at Fuddrucker's and bought some books for Ruth and us (baby naming books) at Borders. It was a fun day of hanging out with Amy and Ruth. I have been off awhile now (since before TCEP as a result of the shift switches) so it is time I get back into the swing of things tomorrow.
-
2 Corinthians 4:7-9 "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."
-
These verses are found in a couple of songs that I know of. Obviously the first one listed is from Jars of Clay. I believe it is on the secret track at the end of their self-titled debut album. The next two passages are in the praise song Trading My Sorrows. These lines are a reminder that we may have troubles but all is not lost and His power will overcome in the end.
-
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
-
These are more lines of hope in knowing that things may be difficult now. However, what we see is not permanent and what we know and believe will be what is important in the long run.

Snow Cones and More Snow Cones

We always have our staff meeting on the second Wednesday of the month. It was weird going to sleep before Amy got home last night and then leaving early this morning for staff meeting before she got up. After the meeting, I chatted with Steve for awhile and as usual, learned a lot from him. I stopped to get shaved ice for Amy since she was craving it badly. We got to chat and hang out before I headed off to the gym. When I got back, I helped Ruth and Amy finish decorating the nursery/Ruth's room with more animal wall decorations and glow in the dark stars for the ceiling. We went to La Duni to meet up with the Kennedys to have a last dinner before our 2nd set of children were born. It is such a nice patio where we can see our kids for literally a hundred feet with the large outdoor courtyard. From there we went to small group at church and had a great discussion on the end of Ephesians 5 including husbands loving their wives and interestingly enough, sex (both covered between Ephesians 5:25-31). We also talked about honoring our parents by transitioning into Ephesians 6. After small group, we headed to get shaved ice again. I am going to head to bed now in preparation for early morning b-ball and hope that I have not become insulin resistant.
-
2 Corinthians 3:12 "Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold."
-
I feel I need to be more bold. In my new job, in my current job, in my parenting, and in basketball even ("take it to the hole!" as Amy says). With the promise we have in Him, we have confidence and hope. I want to use this knowledge to help me do what is right without fear of the consequences of this world. I will pray for boldness in my walk, witness, and daily interactions with others.

Another Dad Ruth Day

I woke up early for b-ball and came home to take a nap before we took Ruth to swim lessons. We tried to get her to nap but instead we went to lunch at Lover's Pizza. Amy went to work, and we met Ben at Chick Fil A where he had lunch. Ben hit a few balls at Top Golf while we watched. We then went to look at a few houses Ben was considering renting with friends. Ruth and I then went to pick up Nick and Will for Will's soccer game. We ate dinner at the Kennedys' house. We came home, and Ruth had a bath. It was another father-daughter day. I miss Amy when she is at work a lot, but I appreciate the opportunity to be with Ruthie one on one.
-
2 Corinthians 2:14 "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him."
-
I definitely need to witness more. This passage reminds me of this weakness and the need to reach out to those who need Christ. I especially pray for my parents and brothers.

Back in Dallas

I went to the gym and then we all had lunch with Ben at P.D. Johnson's. We then went to get some snow cones while Ruth slept on the drive up there. We picked up Eliot and went to the park. I played tennis with Ben while Amy, Ruth, and Eliot were at the playground. After a stop by our house, we went to eat dinner at the Purple Cow. We stopped by to pick up some dried fruit snacks from Fernando. Ruth got to see Sebi and Rene. At home, Dave came by to watch the Final Four championship game, but UNC ran away from MSU early so it was not a very exciting game. As "One Shining Moment" plays, I love yearly traditions and have enjoyed March Madness this year.
-
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 "Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come."
-
It makes you feel special when someone chooses you. The fact that He chose me is hard to fathom sometimes. I would like to appreciate this, but I usually take it for granted. My prayer is to remember all He has done for me and focus on Him daily.

late entry for Sun, 4-5-09

We got up and went to the final lecture of TCEP which covered the 2009 LLSA exam. We drove home and stopped in Austin to eat lunch at Z Tejas with Uncle Ben (Andrews) and Ar D.J. We had dinner with Suzanne at the new Whole Foods once we got back into Dallas.
-
1 Corinthians 16: 13 "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love. "
-
As Paul closes 1 Corinthians, he gives some key instructions. I figure I should keep these words in mind daily.

late entry for Sat, 4-4-09

Yesterday, we woke up and met the Benitez-Velez family at Sea World. Ruth and their twins enjoyed the sea animals and shows. It eventually got hot, and we called it a day by mid afternoon. We went back to the hotel. Ruth napped, Amy finished the May schedule, and I went to help Dave Spear with the ultrasound course. I talked to a guy from San Antonio and another from the Panhandle who was a little burned out since he owned a contract and had picked up a lot of shifts whenever the group was short. I was thankful that Amy and I had decided on a limited amount of shifts. After the ultrasound course, Amy and I met Nick Zenarosa in the hotel bar. Many other doctors from various places joined in for conversation. We all went to Iron Cactus on the riverwalk for dinner. I especially enjoyed chatting with Nick and Fernando on the walk back to the Crown Plaza. I have come to realize that some of the most important learning and networking come not from lectures or workshops, but from casual conversation and exchange of information outside the meeting itself. It has been interesting that although we live in DFW with Sam, Fern, Larissa, Nick, Fowler, and various other EPs, we have the most contact when we leave our home and meet in another city.
-
1 Corinthians 15:31 "I die every day—I mean that, brothers—just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord."
-
I feel like I die every few months or so instead of Paul's daily pattern. The rollercoaster begins when I am rededicated and excited to be closer to Christ. Then the routine gets old, and I slip further and further from Him. The goal is to die to myself and reconnect more frequently. I have been doing this blog for that purpose. I still need to improve upon my Scripture reading. I would also like to be more consistent with prayer.

late entry for Fri, 4-3-09

We left the Patlovanys and got to the Crown Plaza for TCEP. It was great hearing about what is going on from the ACEP president. We ran into familiar faces from residency and past meetings. I felt I learned a good amount and hopefully it helps me in my daily practice. We had dinner with Sam, Ira, and Jeff at The County Line on the riverwalk. There were some great news and interesting stories.
-
1 Corinthians 14:10 "Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and he is a foreigner to me. So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church."
-
I am not sure if this is what God is saying to me, but this passage reminds me of how much I want to learn and teach Spanish to Ruth. Many patients do not speak English, and I want to be able to communicate well without an interpreter. I have enjoyed speaking Thai to family and friends. Sign language has been useful for our family especially when Ruth was preverbal. I would hope that learning more languages would help in witnessing and connecting with others. It has been great learning and speaking to emergency physicians from across this great state. I have learned a lot. We speak the same language in our experiences in the ED no matter what city we live in. We have common battles with other departments and struggle with similar issues. We are trying to build up our specialty from the local to national level through polictics and advocacy. Hopefully, I can improve my Spanish so that I can use it to help build up the church.

late entry for Thurs, 4-2-09

I woke up early to play basketball. Afterwards, we headed to meet D.J. for lunch in Austin. Then we arrived in San Antonio to see the Patlovanys. Ruth and Nathan had fun playing. I keep seeing the need for kids to learn how to share since they usually get upset when they see someone else playing with their toys. Even Ruth was a little testy seeing Nathan play with his own toys that she wants to have. Still, our kids did great. We took them for a wagon ride around the neighborhood and had dinner at a place with a nice patio and playground. The night ended with Matt and I chatting about our ED practices. It was great to share our experiences and learn about what we were doing in our respective areas.
-
1 Corinthians 13:11 "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me."
-
Watching Nathan and Ruth interact is fascinating. They are little kids. Sometimes I see faults in them that are still present in adults like me. I still have not put away my childish ways. I am selfish, jealous, and needy. I want to be totally dependent on God so that I do not care so much about the less important things.

Good ole Wednesday

I woke up and went to the gym for a work out and came home to a house full of Ruth's and Amy's friends from small group. It is nice for Ruth to learn how to share since she never has to do so currently without siblings. I went and played some b-ball at noon. After naps, we decided to take Ruth out for a treat. We got fries and shaved ice which was pretty good. We got to church early and played on the playground with Eliot and Millie. Small group was very good. We discussed some plans for the summer and had a great discussion of the second portion of Ephesians 5. I recall using one verse in Matt Taylor's rehearsal dinner when I was the best man. I didn't fully understand its meaning back then and tonight I got a better grasp after our discussion.
-
Ephesians 5:22-28 "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself."
-
So I was referencing the first few lines jokingly when I stood up and told Elisha and the women in the room that night about the submitting to your husbands part, but now I better understand what Paul was saying. As Nick mentioned, the point is that as husbands, we sacrifice for our wives in our role as leaders. It is a great honor. I feel pressure to execute the responsibilities laid out before me and a Christian husband, but I know God will help me.
-
1 Corinthians 12:21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!"
-
This is an interesting verse that speaks to how everyone in the church body plays a part in His kingdom. There are those that serve by being missionaries or working at the church. I many times feel less important to God's plan because I am not as involved as I would like to be. Perhaps in the future, the aforementioned roles may be something I am involved in. For now, I will do everything I can to serve Christ in the situations he places me in.

Final Father-Daughter Day?

Obviously Ruth and I will have other opportunities to hang out, but I think life changes after today. Amy is no longer on the work schedule after today. She may take a few of my extra shifts in April and she may do the same after the twins are born, but she will most likely be part time. Therefore, I no longer have these 9 days a month where Ruth and I have 10 or more hours together. I am a little sentimental about it. Looking back, there were some tough times early on when she didn't like to take a bottle, but I felt so pressured to make sure she took all 4oz because I had this fear she would be a failure to thrive overnight and Amy would make me work all 18 shifts because of my iniquity. There would be those times we went to visit Amy in the middle of a shift and then Ruth was inconsolable because she saw her mommy and wanted to be with her. The good times however outnumber the bad. We had wonderful days and nights together including going to a Rangers baseball game, hanging out with Will and Nick, and walks around West Village. I'm going to miss it.

So my shift ended with two critical patients and an unfortunate incident with a consultant. I drove from the ED directly to Ben's to take him to Love Field for his flight. I came home and slept while Ruth and Amy went to make up the missed oral glucose tolerance test. Ruth did not go to swim lessons due to a fever. I did some laundry after Amy went to work. Once Ruth was up from her nap, we went to Target to get an iron, ironing board, Motrin, step stool, and a kitchen trash can. Amy had given her some Motrin before naps so I went ahead and gave some Tylenol for fever prophylaxis. We stopped across the street at Home Depot for another outdoor lightswitch timer. Then we drove through the barrio towards Northpark Mall. It was a good reminder of life to drive through different neighborhoods. Ruth loves the mall. She recognized the benches and escalators and ran ahead without me. At the food court, I asked her if she wanted eggs. She said, "No." I asked if she wanted chicken. She replied the same. I asked if she wanted fries. She then had a huge smile and said, "Yea!" Why not? It was our last official Daddy-Ruthie day. We got some chicken strips, fries, and Sprite at Chick-Fil-A and she handed them the credit card as usual. She began with fries but when I asked her to eat some chicken, she did so and ate a good amount so I was proud of her. I let her have plenty of Sprite because I wanted her to stay hydrated and happy. We walked around the kid clothing and toy stores. She was social to everyone and ran all over the mall. At Build-A-Bear, she found a stroller with a bear and drove it around. After awhile, I told her it was time to go. She was recalcitrant and began to scream in defiance. I gave her a warning in a stern voice, and she complied. I was proud of her for giving up the stroller which she loves to play with, and we moved on. I wanted to find her some business dress for TCEP but apparently there are not a lot of 2 year old female CEOs out there so I didn't find close that matched that description. She ran around the big mall intersection up the ramp and down the stairs over and over. This worked well for my plan to get her worn out by bedtime. When we drove away from the mall, Amy called and said she was headed for the snack machine for donuts. Since she is carrying two of my babies currently, I figured I should get her something healthier. We got some chicken strips from Sonic and drove up to the ED. We had a tech come get the food since I have learned from past experience that Ruthie can be upset for the remainder of the day after she Amy and remembers that she misses her. Another tech came out and wanted to clarify that he wasn't being sarcastic earlier this morning at work when he told me I was a calming presence when the patient went apneic. I didn't think I did much, but I appreciated the compliment. I will remember that.

I drove to Tom Browning's house to chat a little bit since his daughters were in bed and his wife was on call. Ruth played with the toys in the house while we talked about various topics from health care to church small group. I love his honesty and commitment to the Lord. He mentioned a few things that opened my eyes and made me a little embarrassed of things that I need to improve on. We will definitely have to get together more often. At home, I ironed clothes for me and Amy so that we could look somewhat professional at TCEP. Ruth fell asleep watching me iron clothes. I called Matt Patlovany to chat with him while ironing. He told me how his ED experiences were like in San Antonio. We are looking forward to seeing them in a few days. I decided to move Ruth to the middle of the bed so that she wouldn't fall off and noticed she was burning up. She had a temp so I gave her some Motrin. She hasn't been coughing or having a runny nose so I'm not sure what her source is. I watched her sleep peacefully and thanked God for her. It has been a wonderful day.

-

1 Corinthians 11:18-19 "In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval."
-

This touches on some of the disagreements Tom and I may have. I will pray hard to see what Jesus wants so that I can desire the same thing. This is going to be difficult.

Doctor Visits

Amy had set Ruth a pediatrician's appointment this morning since she was running a fever and saying that her right side was hurting. She looked pretty good, but we didn't want to have her get worse before all the events of this week. I went to the gym for my personal training session and then met them at the pediatrician's office. Her urine and strep screen were negative so it was probably something viral. We then went for Amy's sono and ob appointment. I spoke to Clark on the way home. I got a short nap in once we came home. We had dinner at home before my overnight shift started.
-
1 Corinthians 10:12-13 "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
-
This is a good reminder that while things may be running smoothly, things can fall apart in a hurry. Temptations are all around, and we need God to help us identify and avoid falling for them.
-
My prayer today is that Ruth doesn't get sick, Amy and the twins continue to do well, and that my shift goes well tonight.

late entry for Sun, 2-29-09

Yesterday, I helped in Ruth's nursery room so I got to see her and the other kids play during the second service. Amy helped in the nursery during the third service so I went to small group prayer requests and ate lunch with them. Ruth fell asleep on the way home. Amy and I solidified travel plans for TCEP this next weekend as well as Nebraska in the fall. We watched MSU beat Louisville, and then Suzanne and Aunt Janie came over. We all headed to Elizabeth's birthday party at the Dahlmans. Ruth did great in the bounce house. At home, we just had some family time, ate dinner, and watched Curious George before heading to bed.
-
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."
-
This was a great set of verses speaking of competition and the one that really matters. I do feel like I am running aimlessly at times, but everything comes into focus when I put Christ first. I am thankful to be qualified for the eternal prize.