Graduation

      I've been thinking about posting pictures of my graduation for a while, but didn't have the time until now.  My graduation was held on June 30th, 2012, and was a wonderful time of celebration and fun.  My cousins came up from Oregon to join us, and many other friends from church and other activities came as well.  My father, mother, and I all gave speeches, we sang a few of my favorite hymns, had a slideshow, and a reception afterward.  It was wonderful to see many people who had made an impact in my life all together in the same place, and to be able to share with them what God has been doing in my life.

     So without further ado, here are the pictures, courtesy of my cousin Rosie (her blog is My Life Through a Lens) who was kind enough to be the photographer for my graduation.  Thank you Rosie!




Before the graduation ceremony



AWANA display



Speech display




My award from STOA nationals (NITOC 2012)




Some of my photography and favorite books/curriculum

Waiting for it to begin...



Cousins!



Singing Hymns





Mama's speech





My graduation speech

The Reception

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Clinicals part II

     I am through with clinicals!  Now all I have to do to is fill out a lot of paperwork, wait 3-6 weeks, and take the state test to be certified.  Last Friday evening, ten of us nursing assistant students sat around a table, talking about our favorite experiences and people at the nursing home and going over the necessary paperwork for the state test.  Then, our instructor began calling out names and handed out certificates.  Eventually, she called my name and handing me a certificate stating that I had successfully completed a state-approved nursing assistant training program with 40 classroom hours and 52 clinical hours.

     Holding that certificate in my hand made me realize how much I have learned in the last month or so.  At first, it was all book knowledge, with vague ideas of how it would work in an actual nursing home situation.  After reading about all the necessary tasks I had to perform, I was not at all sure that I would enjoy being a nursing assistant.  But once I got to work in the nursing home, doing hands-on care, I began to realize that it gives me joy to help a person feel better or rest more comfortably.  After the first few days, I had no qualms about wading into difficult and dirty tasks.  And the residents were fun too!  Because of certain laws, I'm not allowed to go into detail regarding the residents, but suffice to say that I loved caring for and spending time with them, and would not have traded the last few weeks for anything.

     I feel that through this time at clinicals, God has been confirming that the health care field is where He wants me to be.  He gave me so much love and joy as I learned to care for others, as well as encouragement from His Word and my family.  I am excited to see what He is going to do next...

Caught by Surprise

     Today began as a 'not-so-interesting' day.  In fact, it seemed quite boring and frustrating.  I am preparing to begin college classes here in the next few weeks, and am working on getting classes, schedules, textbooks, bus routes, and everything else figured out.  At the beginning of this summer, I enrolled in three classes only to discover that I have already gone through the majority of the training that one class has to offer.  Naturally, I did not want to spend extra money going through a course that I knew would be mostly review.  So I dropped that class, and tried to enroll in a Japanese language class.  To make a long story short, I spent about three hours trying to figure out how to drop and add classes, how to fit this new class into my schedule, running into technical difficulties, and a whole lot more.

     Later on in the evening, things were still not going their greatest.  On Monday nights, I cook dinner at our house.  However, due to various interruptions, I began preperations late today, and finally ended up around 8:00 pm with burnt fingers and burnt bread.  Frustrated, I said to my brother, "Timothy, you might as well call everyone for dinner - if you can even call this mess 'dinner'."

      Then as my precious twelve-year-old brother turned to go call everyone, he said with a grin "If this is not dinner, it's a feast!"  At that moment, the atmosphere changed, and I could not help smiling, despite my crossness.  His comment had touched my heart, encouraged me, and filled me with joy as nothing else could have at that time.  It was unexpected.  It was full of love.  And because of that, it was special.

     God used my brother to pull my attention back to Him.  I was so focused on not being able to do things right, that I allowed myself to stop focusing on God, and what I could do in that situation to praise Him.  This small occurence brought to my mind 1 Thessalonians 5:18.  "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."  Sure, it's frustrating to burn the bread and have a late dinner.  But in retrospect, I thank God that we have bread to burn (it didn't turn out too badly after all), and that we can all sit down together as a family to eat, although the hour was late.  I thank God for my family, their appreciativeness and kind comments regarding dinner, the fellowship that we shared around the dining room table, and most of all the love for one another that God has given us.  Of course, we are not a perfect family, always treating one another with love and respect.  But each one knows that he or she loves and is loved by all members in our family.  And that is perhaps the thing for which I thank God the most.

     Contrary to what I had thought earlier, today has turned out to be an interesting day.  I am no longer bored, but looking forward to what God is going to teach me in the future because I am learning that He can take the mundane experiences of everyday life, and turn them into life lessons that will stay with me forever.  The key is to keep your eyes and heart ready and open to what God will do next.  And even then, He might take you by surprise!

Clinicals

     Things have been quite busy lately.  I have been taking a nursing assitant training course, which involves a lot of hard work memorizing and practicing skills.  During this week, I was given the privilege of going into a nursing home and following around an actual nursing assistant.  Her name is Rosie, and she is very good at explaining processes, showing me specific ways to do a task, and allowing me to help the residents with their activities of daily living (eating, toileting, changing clothes, taking vital signs, oral care, showering, etc.).

     Eight other students from the training insitute are also learning with their preceptors, and we have had fun getting to know each other.  I will be sad when we finish up the course and leave, because I probably won't run into these people again.  It has definitely been an experience that I would not have missed for the world.  I have had so much fun working with residents and learning new skills; not only has this been a fun experience, and hard work, but also a rewarding one.  It feels very good to know that through all the backbreaking work we do, peoples lives are made better for a little while.

     There are times when I feel grossed out, or extremely tired, or frustrated when working with a specific person.  But these are the times when God really uses these things to teach me a lesson.  In 1 Corinthians 16:14 we read, "Let all that you do be done in love."  I'm not going back to the nursing home until next Thursday, but when I do go back I want to remember this verse, so that whether I am doing a 'dirty' job or a 'clean' one, I will do it all in love -  for the glory of Jesus Christ.