Are you a nurse?

So today I started a new journey.  I went back to school. 

The summer before I got pregnant with Addie, I finally figured out what I wanted to be when I grow up. I will be a nurse (someday).

I went to school that year, and even signed up for classes the following fall (Addie would have been 2 months old), and I decided that would have been crazy and unregistered. I wanted to focus on my family.

Well, Addie is going to Kindergarten this year, so back I go.

I had my first class today, and afterwards I stopped at the McDonald's by my house and was greeted by a very friendly, older woman taking my money.  I recognized her.  I don't stop often, but she is so friendly and complementary, I remembered her.  She didn't fail to love me up today.

She said that I looked very nice, and I mentioned back to her that, though I don't stop often, I remember her as she is so friendly and completmentary.  After a bit more chit chat, she asked,

"Are you a nurse?"

The question caught me by surprise and I smiled and replied that, funny you should ask, I just got done with my first class today.  That my youngest was going to Kindergarten and I was going back this year for nursing.

She held up her hand to high five me and said I was going to make a good nurse and 'congratulations girl'.

I doubt she knows that I see this as sign that I'm on the right track.  Maybe she does. 

I prayed on the way to school that God would guide me in my decisions, and to be with me during my slightly nervous first day and all the way till I'm done done with all my school goals. I prayed that I would be open to God's plan and to use me the best way possible.

I wish I had caught her name.  God is using her well.  I pray that I make that big of an impact in my career and life.

Honesty

So this morning, I'm getting my stuff together a bit more this week and actually pulled out our Veggie Tale Devo book and this morning's devo was from Matthew 5:6 ICB.  The page was entitled Honesty.

"Those who want to do right more than anything else are happy.
    God will fully satisfy them."

It got me thinking, that it was maybe a little ironic that Matthew of all people was writing on Honesty. (Looking up the full verse, this verse was from something longer that Jesus said in the famous beatitudes sermon; I didn't recognize it in the ICB version), but none the less Matthew was retelling it.  

After Googling to verify that yes, this was the same Matthew that was the tax collector (still working on my Bible knowledge peeps! ;) ), I told Thing One and Thing Two that Jesus saw Matthew, who was likely NOT honest, as he was a despised tax collector (also learning this morning that he was actually Jewish too, Levi was his Jewish name, so this was a double whammy to the Jews. He taxed and likely cheated his own people.  He was a traitor too, working for the Pagan Roman government - ouch!)

Jesus saw in Matthew what no else likely did.  Frankly, I likely wouldn't have seen it either, especially if I were one of the ones he was cheating.  But Jesus called Matthew to be one of his special followers.

Yet another reminder we do not need to have ANY special qualities to be useful to God.  Phew.