Tenth Avenue North - Losing (NEW RADIO version with LYRICS!)

God is speaking these words into my heart today. What is He speaking into yours?

Choosing Joy,
Pamela

Nothing to Say

The past 12 months have been crazy. 

To say the least. 

This time last year, I decided to join my friend Alece in her One Word 2011 Challenge. I thought about and prayed about what one word God had for me in 2011. 

(We) came up with CHANGE. 

I had no idea what I was in for. 

I started college (again) at age 42, jumped through so many hoops trying to get our son, Joseph, the assistance he needs to function well and integrate with society. He has autism. Graduated our oldest son, Allen-Michael, from high school and into college life & responsibilities. I had shoulder surgery. Shawn had a cardiac event that led to him having surgery to remove a HUGE blood clot from the radial artery in his arm. all the while maintaining a 4.0 GPA, and as president of MASO and secretary of our Student Ambassadors.

You may be thinking: Wow, what a braggart! Overachiever! Why are you telling us this??? 

Well, here's why. I was feeling really pretty good about myself, as you might imagine.  All the way until the beginning of November when I attended the Women of Faith conference. I really felt like God was speaking to me that weekend. So many great speakers with so much wisdom to share.

I was so convicted by Patsy Clairmont and her words on talking too much.(ouch) 

Not letting other people shine. (guilty as charged) 

The problem is that I didn't listen. (and i should have)

As many of you know, I am just finishing my program as a Medical Assistant. Part of that program is to participate in a student externship at the site of a working lab or physicians office. I was placed at a physicians office. I thought things were going great. Then I received a phone call from our externship coordinator. 

I was FIRED from the site.

For making an unnecessary (albeit true) comment. 

I was devastated. But my instructors were working with me because of my past history, grades, citizenship and so on, so they placed me at a new site. I loved it. It was at a medical group with a lab. I was able to get experience in all kinds of areas. I thought to myself, "things are finally going great".

Then I got the phone call. Once again I was being fired from my site for an unnecessary comment. This time there was to be no finishing the externship. I flunked the class and will have to retake it.

I am humbled. 

In hindsight, I can see the importance of this discipline, right now, in this moment. I can also see how this could have been avoided if I had just LISTENED to Patsy.(God-using little ol' Patsy)

So, my OneWord365 is LISTEN. 

Merriam Webster defines the word listen as: to hear something with thoughtful attention: give consideration. Synonyms include: attend, hark, hearken, hear, heed, mind.

These are all great words to help me focus, and use on a daily basis. 

I am praying that 2012 will continue to bring change and show me ways to listen with my Fathers ears and heart. 

"Wise men store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin." Proverbs 10:14

Choosing Joy,

Pamela

One Word 2011 (Part II)

Back in January i decided to participate in my friend Alece's challenge to find ONE WORD in 2011 that could define a goal for myself. Something i wanted to do differently or apply to my life to make a positive impact on the world around me.

Below is an update on how that has been going for me.

The word i chose was CHANGE.

Boy oh Boy...and change was what i was in for. i had no idea how i was to be stretched and challenged in the next several months that would follow.

i had no idea that i would have to completely change my way of thinking in order to adapt to being a college student again at age 43.

i never would have thought i would have to change every thing i thought i knew about parenting because my youngest son has Bipolar disorder, ASD/Aspergers syndrome, physically attacked me and tried to commit suicide.

i was not prepared for the news that my high school and home town were devastated and changed forever.  That so many of my friends would lose their homes, jobs, and we would all lose loved ones.

i also would not have had to change my reliance on my Heavenly Father.

My daddy.

The one who has carried me when i could not walk through this craziness on my own. The one who, despite all of my attempts to change the outcome of this mess i call life, loves me anyway.

So i'm going to keep on working on change. i think it is going to be just fine.

ONE WORD 2011

My friend Alece tweeted on New Years Day about the one word "resolution," if you will, that she was planning on focusing on for 2011.

After seeing that tweet, and thinking about it for a week, i believe I've come up with one word that i can focus on and apply to several areas of my life.

My One Word for 2011 is CHANGE.

Change the way i think and feel about myself and others. Do i see people from a Christ like perspective?

Change my spending habits. Am i a good steward of what God has entrusted to me?

Change how i impact the world around me.

Am i being the hands and feet of Christ?

Am i caring for the widows and the poor? 

The marginalized?

Am i being the change i want to see in the world?

Am i part of the solution, the cause for Christ or am i contributing to the problem, the stereotype?

I'm a little frightened. Change can be a scary thing.

Change can also be a good thing.

What is your One Word for 2011?