This is my life

Week 8 of medical school:

Tuesday
While I was holding a cadaver ankle in one gloved hand going over the ligaments of the foot, one of our lab TA's came up to me. "Abbie? You must know Kris Felak." Puzzled expression on my face as my poor brain which had been concentrating on the language of anatomy wrestled to put together the worlds of Colorado and Michigan. The Felak Attack had led my Bible study back in Colorado, and I had not heard his name in months. I responded slowly, "Kris? Oh yeah! I definitely know him." The handsome blue coat continued, "Kris told me about you and said I should look you up, but I just haven't had time.... and here you are!"

That's how I meet people these days. Over dead bodies. And this is my life.

Wednesday
Katie Middlestead left for the Philippines. For three years! I'm excited because I know her work with Food for the Hungry will be challenging and make a huge difference there. Selfishly though, I will miss her company. Thank God for skype.

Thursday
Bible study began normally until sirens went off. The Yang's son ran in saying, "Is that the tohnado wahning? I'm scahwed." We went to the basement before coming upstairs to see stars and turn on the tv. We finished our chapter in Corinthians until 8:30 when the news had told us to be at home. We scattered and I drove back to Mason, only to have the alarm go off two more times. We sat in the basement a while until the all-clear sign. Then again at midnight the rains and wind hit the house making me shutter in my little bed. I confessed all my sins of the day and huddled there wondering what would happen before I slowly fell back to sleep.

Friday
Foreign film night at one of the lecture halls on campus. Fortunately the French movie was pretty clean, for French standards, and funny. Came home to find out that the mom of the family I'm staying with, the Olsons, has an enlarged gallbladder and might need surgery. I got out my textbooks and lecture notes since that was our last unit, but I found nothing.

Saturday
The trees are all on fire. Brilliant colors of fall in Michigan. I'd love to go take pictures but I have a cold and will be staying in bed instead. What a random week!

Jail break

I'm taking a study break!! I can't take any more perineum or peritoneum!!! So I thought I'd write about an example that my pastor Kevin DeYoung used today in a sermon. I was laughing so hard.

http://www.urc-msu.org/sermon_audio.cfm There are podcasts too, sidenote but if you all want to listen to something really great, his messages back from January on the Will of God are challenging and freeing. I'm not sure if freeing is a word. It should be.

Today he was talking about how Jesus is our Redemption and how there isn't any need to feel guilty or works-oriented because God has fulfilled His requirement and His wrath is dispelled in the cross. So he was using the analogy of a game he played with little 4th and 5th graders. He was sent as the prison breaker. In capture the flag when someone is tagged they are placed in jail until another member of their team is able to get to jail and lead them out safely. He made it to the jail and was greeted by shreiks and shouts of joy from the little kids and they were thrilled as he led them back to safety. The best part about it, he said, was that as soon as they were free they became just like the foolish Isrealites who wandered in the desert. They didn't run back to safety but rather broke off into groups of chatting and socializing. Hahaha. I was laughing hysterically, isn't that just how it goes in elementary school capture the flag????

The bible's comparison of us to children isn't so far off it seems... as many of us in faith get distracted and deterred by life instead of running into the safety and sanctuary of Christ.

Today's epiphanies:

1) Anatomy's definiton should be: the study of how many numerous causes we can die from. Basically, the inevitable pathology of some defect that will make us die. Medicine's definition should be then: delaying the inevitable... okay, and making the going easier. :P

2) I don't realize how good I've got it. Not everyone gets a home with, well obviously a great family but also: prayer and coffee with Jim, Jenny, and Lindy on Sundays, Wii, wifi, Tivo, own bedroom, and milk replacement (because even if I run out, someone else has some.)

Smashing Pumpkins' new faith?

Listening to their music, the style hasn't changed much... I mean, I'm still not drawn to it. However, ChristianityToday had an interesting article on the lead singer. I don't put much creedance in it, but who am I to doubt God's working in even the lives of the Smashing Pumpkins band?

http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/glimpses/2007/zeitgeist.html

Undoubtedly not Christian, the lyrics make me think of the struggle going on in many people's hearts. I give kudos to those souls at least seeking the truth and asking questions, as opposed to those who feel nothing at all. I pray that for those earnestly seeking, that they will find the truth.