Currently Listening Lifesong By Casting Crowns see related

Another year of Ossabaw has come and gone!!! I can  not believe how quickly the time went by!! It was probably the best trip I have had to Ossabaw!! The weather was amazing and only rained for 20 minutes one day!! The rest of the time the weather was perfect!! More importantly the people were perfect too!!! Each and every person that went made the trip so worthwhile!!! This year I went as an alum/trip helper (or whatever you would call it). It was wonderful to be able to spend personal time with so many that I had not seen in a long time!! I enjoyed time spent with the professors and especially times with old friends. I also truly enjoyed spending time with new friends. I got to know so many people that without the trip I never would have gotten to know!!

To many of you that went to Ossabaw for the first time - it was great to get to know you on a different level and to see you enjoy all the adventures and experiences Ossabaw has to offer!! ;) It was great to see you all do things for the first time or to see so many of you just enjoying yourself!!! I think everyone did such a great job this year on the island!!!

I hope that each of you took something new away from Ossabaw this year!! Mine would so be (as Dr. F said many times) finding my Ossabaw spirit guide in the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake we found ~ or almost stepped on!! That was an amazing thing to see!!

I want to thank you all for such a great trip!! And a special thanks to Joseph for preparing the trip and working so hard to get things ready!! I am not sure how things will go in the future and if I will ever be able to return, but it was the best way to end in my series of trips and that is because of all of you!!!

Sadly, I have to return to the real world of stress and chaos! ;) I hope you all enjoyed it!! I will have pictures soon for anyone that wants them, and if you have pictures send them my way!!!  

Ok, Selena needs some venting time ... so only read this rambling if you dare.  Over the past few weeks I have had the regular chaos of trying to finish a semester in school. Professors trying to get everything in which is fine, just hectic!! And I am starting to truly realize how much info I learned while at Shorter that I thought I would never remember - but actually do!! That makes things really cool, but I am starting to get annoyed at the fact that at times I know things the professor does not. I know I still have soooo much to learn, and that at times everyone makes mistakes. That teachers are not perfect, and they may say something accidentally wrong or forget something for a while or even just don't remember or don't know. BUT... I can't understand why it is so hard for some to admit it. Example - for all you science people - the other day in class, one of my fellow students asked exactly what a glycoprotein was to one of my professors. Well, my professor said, " Mmmm well it is just a large protein." Well, of course that did not answer the question, but isn't that a basic concept that a science professor should know (it is a carbohydrate and protein together if anyone doesn't know). Well, I was unsure how to let the student know what it was so I waited till after class to tell her. That was just a brief lapse in memory I was hoping. Well, no the other day we had questions answered incorrectly on a test with the correct answer in the book to even support our telling the professor and yet we were still wrong. Cuz we are only students. I understand the professor was probably trying to protect her pride, but we all know that we make mistakes and it doesn't make us any worse of a person -teacher- etc. On top of that we had a lab practical that was not too bad, but a couple of the slides were so terrible we could see nothing on them. If you know me, you know I really like working on the microscope and usually I can determine what is there. But these were so bad I couldn't even recognize them and so I knew other people could not either. I just feel bad for the other students who probably think it was them. Well... I really do love the program and classes I am in, and most of the time I enjoy the professors, it just happens that this week has been full of chaos and small annoyances that I had to get out!! On the brighter side of things, it is almost Christmas which means a break in classes - YAY!!!! Also, on December 19-22 I get to work at Hutcheson Medical Center for my phlebotomy clinical which I am really excited about!! I hope that this will lead to a job as well so that I can work in the hospital while going to school. All I have to do is get through this last week of finals and all the Christmas parties over the next few weeks!! Hope all are having a great week!!! 

James 1:2-6  "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.  But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind."

Currently Listening Casting Crowns By Casting Crowns see related

Yesterday, during our sermon, Mike mentioned this passage of scripture:

James 1:2-8 (NIV)

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. ⁶But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does."

I hope that for anyone who is undergoing trials at this time, perhaps this will give you a little encouragement and know that others are thinking of you!!! 

Currently Reading True Believer By Nicholas Sparks see related

Ok, so it took me a really long time to catch on to xanga...but finally I have come around to finding something else that will distract me from all that I have looming over my head to get done.  I thought I would let those of you interested know a little about what is going on in my life now after graduation from Shorter. Well, for those of you who know me, I had planned forever to attend medical school and be a physician. Over the summer, I learned that God had a totally different plan for me!!! Trust me I didn't see it coming!! Over the summer I did a lot of thinking and praying about what I really felt led to do in my life. I really enjoy science - the biological side of science that is. I really enjoyed all the time I spent working in the labs and doing research. Also, I love almost anything in the medical profession - it just really interests me!! I searched long and hard all summer to find a job including both of these, but I felt that I still needed more training in laboratory work.  By God's plan (I know), our church hired a new music minister who's wife works as a professor of the medical laboratory technician program at Dalton State. Now, I know many of you are thinking what? DSC? As did I, believe me!! But I really felt led that I was supposed to stay in the area for a while and continue my education. The medical laboratory program is allowing me to learn techniques I could use at any hospital, doctor's office, etc. I am able to get a job as a phlebotomist while I continue my education, and then work as a medical laboratory technician while I get my masters and ph.d. which I fully plan to obtain. As of right now, I can finish the program a year in advance because of my bio degree. The program also is allowing me to spend time outside of school to do things I was not able to do while at Shorter. You all know me ... I just get too involved and that held me back some at Shorter. I am now able to spend more time with my family which I love, and doing things for my church. I am having such a blessing from working with the youth, our choir, our Awana program, and children's ministry. (I know, I dive in deep don't I) The medical lab program is allowing me to now work as hard and have time for these other things which I know was God's plan. I am planning to apply to graduate schools for my masters and phd, but I am still trying to decide on which ones! I have researched Vanderbilt, University of Alabama at Birmingham, UTK, a couple of colleges in North and South Carolina, and a few others in GA. As you can tell, I am going to stay in the south, but where I am just not sure yet!! I never thought that I would be here at this time in my life, but I truly am enjoying things!!

Well, I have rambled long enough and hope you enjoyed some of the exciting facts of my life now!! I hope all is well for everyone!! 

Sending smiles your way, Selena