Christmas!!

Oh my goodness!! I am so excited for Christmas that I am not even able to concentrate on my final exams that are coming up in a week!! So I go home on the 15th and I get to go to my daughters field trip, and her birthday party, and then the museum!! I am so excited for all of that.

I have new furniture in my grandad's house where I will be camping out for while. Ill post pictures later, and possibly start another blog chronicling my diy home decorating skills.

I love interior design! I have a passion for putting together a beautiful home from unexpected but glamorous finds. I am not sure what I should call it, so all suggestions are welcome.

So some things that I am thinking about doing for christmas, I have to keep some of them secret b/c my sister might read my blog and that would ruin her christmas. I will make a mental note and an Evernote to add to my list after Christmas.

wishing-spool-christmas-craft-photo-420-FF1200ORNAMA04.jpg


I can't figure out how to paste the picture with the link, so this will have to do. It is a santa scroll wish list that hangs on your tree ! Cute ornament! I am planning to have my children each make one with their own wishlists on it with the date! What a cute thing.

Another neat idea I have for making ornaments is taking leaves and just spraying adhesive on them and the sprinkling them with sparkling glitter. I want the golden brown hues to show through with a little sparkle. Ill post a picture when I get them done.

I am also going to spray paint some branches gold to add to my tree.

We are going to hang gold stars made from cereal boxes. . . wait before your mind says tacky check them out here.

Finally a few of these porcupine balls will round out my homemade tree decorations. I plan to make everything in gold, and I have gold ribbon to put on my tree, and I will use gold music ornaments and then I am not sure, maybe red again.

I have plans to do a wilderness/ homey rustic theme on my mantle, and in my fireplace if I get the time.

I can't wait to tell you what I am making for my sister for christmas!!

I think now that I have shared all of this with you maybe I can study for one more or two more hours.

Blessings,
Amy Jones

A Calling to be Poor?

I cannot tell you how many times I have thought, "maybe my calling in life is to remain strong in the midst of being poor". I am using the word poor here to mean a low income.

Before you start picturing a dirt floor I have to say that I have definitely been blessed in that we have always been able to survive and I have had things that some people have not had. I had television and cable, though it has been turned off a time or two for non payment and I have to wait to get it reinstated. We have water and power both of which I have had the joy of being disconnected. Power less than water because they charge a hefty fee to get it back on.

I mean, we always feel that others' lives are easier, better, more perfect than ours, right?

The truth is at some point I felt like maybe God had called me and my family to persevere in the midst of being poor. That somewhere there was a lesson to be learned and that He was teaching me something that I needed to learn. I stood strong believing that as soon as I had learned that lesson that somehow a miracle would come and we would finally move into the area of financial peace. For me, that meant having all bills paid, money in a savings account, groceries bought, and children clothed.

So, then I felt like finally God had given me my "sign" that I needed to finish my education and that I would find financial peace. Finally, I was going to see an end to this financial struggle. Finally I would know what it meant to have a budget that ended up without a negative balance. Finally, I could go into a store and purchase my children's clothing without wondering how to get the other bills paid or I could pay bills and not worry about the new uniform policy that was put into place and wonder how those were going to be purchased. This was going to be a new day.

Fast forward a year and four months.

Medical school is challenging enough for the financed student but I have to take an online masters program to pay for my living expenses.

And once again, I began to think that same thing, "maybe I am called to be poor. Maybe God wants me to have to beg and take handouts?"

I had planned to look up scripture about God calling people to give up their possessions, but I happened upon a planner that I had downloaded a sample of a long time ago (I didn't have the money to buy it). There amongst the florally decorated pages of "The Well Planned Day" I found a devotional entitled "Use Means but don't trust in means, trust in God". I wasn't looking for this, I was just going through some of my computer folders trying to get rid of the junk. (A quick plug for this planner, I think it would be well worth purchasing and I have even wanted to purchase one for my children even though we don't homeschool any longer. The devotionals and the layout are fantastic.)

The devotional basically says that we should work so that we can do the Lord's work. So that we have means to do the Lord's work. I have been saying all along, that what I wanted most to come from me being a doctor is to be able to have the means to give and to have a place where women can come together and have bible studies. Finally, it seems that what I had in my heart was what the Lord had given us scripture to tell us to do, I just didn't have the scripture to back it up. Now I have the scripture, and I plan to use this scripture to get me through those days when I feel like I am "called to be poor" to remind myself that God needs for me to work and have means so that I can do his work.

My calling is not to be poor. My calling is to succeed in all things. My calling is to put on my coat of armor, and trudge through medical school so that I can reach my full potential and serve him with the means that He ultimately provided for me. 1 Thess. 4:11-12, 2 Thess. 3:10-12, Eph 4:28

If you stop by and read my blog, leave me a note and let me know. You don't have to follow my blog, but you can if you want to. I hope that someone reads these passages and gets His message for them.

Blessings,
Amy

  

Good Reasons to Blog

I haven't read this blog in forever nor have I posted to it. Today my mind remembered a friend who said, "I enjoy reading your blog, keep writing". I did't think about which blog he might have been referring to. Until today, I remembered that I had started two blogs when I began my medical school journey. This one and another one, which I often post about medical school. Today I read this blog and so much has changed.

When I began this blog I thought that my family would be joining me in St. Kitts, and I had a strong faith in the work that God was doing in my life. I had high hopes to come to medical school and be a beacon of for Him. I thought I would have bible studies in my apartment and I would share my story with people. I thought I would grow closer to Him and become more firmly planted in my faith.

Wow! We never know what lies ahead of us. My husband wouldn't move to the island with me. So I had to make a decision, to give up our one chance at being productive members of society or give up being with my family for a year. I felt that it was a huge sacrifice, but that we would all recover and our lives and relationships would be stronger if I stayed and completed the journey that I began.

I stayed on the island.

I visit home in between semesters. I miss my children so much. And now I am publicly putting it out there that I am going through a divorce. My husband decided that we had different goals and he asked me for a divorce or to come home.

I stayed on the island.

I don't regret it yet. I wanted my life to represent something that people would envy and I would be able to say, " see what God has done, and against all odds." I might still get that chance but it is a very different life from what I had first imagined.

I am continually reminded of how my plans are not my own. My faith is stronger, but different.

My church family was less supportive of my decision to stay. I am shaken at my core. It is something I never imagined.

So, let me tell you all, if you are christian and a member of a church family. Choosing sides is out. God calls us to a higher calling. Love. When a marriage is ending it is a difficult thing for both the husband and the wife-- and the church. I want to encourage you all to use this as an opportunity to help those who need you. Neither person needs someone to validate, justify, or negate their decisions. If you can listen, offer your home, and be understanding then you are helping.

Prayers are great, but remember that when we pray we are talking to God and it isn't to be used as a sermon for the one you are praying for. Prayer is not for show, it is an out pouring of our hearts requests to God.

So this brings me to the title, I am so glad that I began blogging when I left, so that I have something to look back on. I remember that my reasons for staying and coming were pure and honest and good. I remember that excitement that I had when I first came here. It was intoxicating no doubt.

I am certain that I want to try to recapture that person that left the states a year ago. I don't want my circumstances to change who I am. I want to focus on staying strong in my faith, and remain hopeful and  excited about the future.



Blessings,
Amy

I am not sure how to rotate this photo
but it was my first semester, ARP.

this was actually when I home between
med 2 and med 3

my third semester on the island, but
Med 2.

The Shack-Book Review

I have just finished The Shack by William P. Young. The book was recommended to me by several friends. It was definitely a captivating story. I read it in a few days. I literally couldn't wait to see the ending. Which was not a disappointment. I cried and laughed, sometimes at the cost of looking disturbed. The story is of a man who experiences a tremendous sadness and his encouter with God. Ultimately it is a tale of one mans spiritual journey, but how he gets to that point is what keeps you in the book.

I can't spill the beans so if you want to know more you will have to read it yourself.

You can borrow a copy from the library or get one here!

Enjoy!

Blog Giveaways

I confess, I am a sucker for free stuff and giveaways. I am entering giveaways at

hope I win some good stuff! Thanks Audreys. Look for a link coming soon.

Your Actions Speak Louder Than Words

I have subscribed to Proverbs 31 ministry's daily email devotional. I highly recommend that you sign up for it if you are need of a daily devotion that is easily accessible and doesn't take a lot of time to prepare for. Not that we should limit our devotions to short spurts, but for me it is easier when it is in my inbox. I take time to read it and meditate on it all day. It is the perfect way for me get my daily devotion.

I think it was yesterday's devotion that focused on our "moral authority". Being on an island where most no one "knows" me is the perfect opportunity to do all of the things I wouldn't do at home. I thought about all that I could do when I was here without my family, I could go out at night, hang out with friends have some carefree days. What I found was that that is not "me". I haven't been out at night to hang out at all and I really would rather be at the coffee shop or in my room relaxing.

When I got away from all the influences in my life I could really see who I have become. I like who I am today and I want to focus on the little things that I want to improve which is making sure my actions match my words and my values. I don't go out and get trashed weekly or monthly, although there are countless opportunities, because it doesn't match my values. The devotion that I mentioned earlier alludes to a similar point.

Titus 2:11-12" For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God." (NLT)

Even though I fail often, I try to make my life a witness to others of what it means to be a christian. I try to hold my self to a Godly lifestyle. Sure I make mistakes and some people might say that I don't speak out against certain actions/language that would be considered sinful. I want people to know who I am so that I don't have to preach to them. If I preach to them I would have to eat my words because I am sure that I use actions/language on occasion that is probably sinful. I am trying to live the Titus 2 lifestyle. A life full of wisdom, which comes from the Lord; righteousness and devotion to God.

May I keep my actions and words in check with this holy scripture today, Lord. Guide my feet so that I can walk in your ways and be a beacon for you today.

In Jesus' sweet name,
Amen

Brand New Day

I spent the weekend studying for tests and on the beach. Not a terrible weekend by any account. I am glad that today is a brand new day, though. Over the weekend I had time to think about what I would do if my family cannot join me here. I have thought about what our life would look like with me here and them there. My daughter's birthday is coming up and my heart breaks to know that I will not be there to celebrate with her. My challenge is doing the "hard thing" for the right reasons.

But my devotion today gives me hope for a brand new day. Island life is great! The beauty and splendor are undeniable. The culuture that iminates from city is a direct reflection of God's creativity. Marvelous! When I see how the people have made accomodations for what they lack in money, I am humbled at the lifesyle that I have lived but often mocked. I want my family to experience the peacefulness that the island offers.

My eyes are opened and my ears are ready to see and hear the new thing that God is doing.

Isaiah 43:19.

"See, I am doing a new thing!

Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the desert

and streams in the wasteland. "