Amazing visual picture

I love mapping out data just to get a visual picture of what I'm reading in the bible. Timelines, geneologies, etc. I like to break things down to get a better picture of what went on. This picture is way more intense than I'd ever do, but AWESOME none the less.

How many of you out there believe that you don't need to believe the whole bible, or that the Old testament is no longer valid after Jesus came down as our Savior? No need to answer. Just nod if you believe that.

One of the Pastors at my church shared this picture with us tonight. It's a picture of how the bible verses from Old Testament and New Testament are so interconnected, from Genesis to Revelations. A couple pastors took the data they collected, and laid out the bible. The white vertical lines below are all the chapters in the bible, and the length of the those lines are how long each chapter are. The arcs above are the number of cross-references in the bible (63,779) and where. For example, the largest arcs you see is Genesis referenced in Revelations. The link below explains the whole picture better than I could.

http://www.chrisharrison.net/projects/bibleviz/index.html

Some would say that the Old Testament is null and void after Jesus came, but Jesus said:

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets, I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the law until everything is accomplished." Matt 5:17-18


"It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the law." Luke 16:17

"Every word of God is flawless;
He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
Do not add to his words, or He will rebuke you,
and prove you a liar."
Prov 30:5-6

Am I a Radical?? Wow.

Random Thought (though it's been rolling around in my mind for a while)

One of my friends from San Diego came to visit me about a month ago, and one of the conversations we had was our experiences in the Midwest (east coast for her). We're west coast girls. We haven't heard or experienced anything east of the Colorado Rockies until the Lord moved us out here a couple years back.

One thing that blew us away was how "liberal" we are to the Midwest. In California, we were always tagged as conservative (maybe ultra-conservative) in our Baptist upbringing, but in Missouri I was called a "Radical" in my face. How in the world did that happen?!! That was a year ago that I heard someone call me that, but it still stumps me to this day as to how am I a radical.

Of course, since Austin is the Liberal dot in Texas, I'm conservative to everyone here.

Why I love Texas: Reason #451

September has been a rough month, especially for Louisiana and Texas. The Texas coast is still picking up their lives that's been blown and swept away by Ike, and still waiting for power and water. This has been my first Hurricane season here in Austin. Last Hurricane season wasn't so bad to consider it as my first. This year, though, a lot of my friends at work compared this season to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Same 2 areas threatened, but Houston this time wasn't as lucky as before. My friends were telling me stories of how the hospitals in Austin were affected during Katrina and Rita, even though they didn't experience the Hurricanes directly, but they received a lot of patients from those that did. This year, it's the same.

This is another reason why I'm lovin' Texas. A lot of us stepped up when needed most. A lot of the staff at my hospital worked extra hours, and even called in to be placed On-Call if the hospital needed extra hands. I heard many times on the radio and news Texans saying, "We need to help our fellow Texans." It was more like family than pride. Texas is the second biggest state in the US, but it's the most close knit state I've been in. Like a family bond, and its probably why people that move here from another state don't want to leave. We just want to be part of that "Texan" family.

My prayers are still going out to those still unsure of their lives post-Ike. We still have patients from Houston, Galvaston, and Louisana. Pray for them, and if you hear of any ways to help them, please do.


Reason #452 is the Smokehouse BBQ ;-D

Why am I a nurse? Why do I love my job?

When bad days come around, like this one, saying,"Ilovemyjob Ilovemyjob Ilovemyjob Ilovemyjob Ilovemyjob" is just not going to cut it.

WHY do I love my job?

• Watching patients coming in unsure of the outcome, but relieved, even a little, when I walk in their room to update them on their care, and assuring them.
  

• Watching parents and grandparents cry with joy as they watch their (grand)child walk again for the first time in weeks or months after an accident.

• See patients that were severely injured, and unsure if they'd survive the trauma, return to the unit months later to visit and say "thank you."

• Enjoy using my gift of helps/service daily in a job that its required.

• I was called by God to be a nurse, and here I'll stay until He says I'm done.

There will always be bad days at work, but it's the memories of why I remain a nurse that keeps me going. Good or bad, I love being a nurse. I love being God's hands when caring for His children. This list will probably grow even more if I think harder, but my brain is too tired. This is more as a reminder for me, in case I ask that question again after a bad day. If you hear me say it, remind me of these points.

Thanks.

What's your Viper?

I needed to share this. I went through this study, and it can't stay in my journal for myself.


There are times when I'm reading that I come across a story that I've skimmed by many times, and nothing has jumped out at me before, until this time around. This is one of those times. I've read this story in the bible before, and skimmed passed it. This time, something caught my attention. Paul has gone through a lot before this situation. He's been in jail for years without a plausible cause (more for protection than a crime, and placed on a ship for Rome only to be ship wrecked on an island in the Mediterranean Sea.

Paul gathered a pile of sticks and was putting them on the fire when a poisonous snake came out because of the heat and bit him in the hand. The people living on the island saw the snake hanging from Paul's hand and said to each other, 'This man must be a murderer! He did not die in the sea, but Justice does not want him to live.' But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and was not hurt. The people thought that Paul would swell up or fall down dead. They waited and watched him for a long time, but nothing bad happened to him. So they changed their minds and said, 'He's a god!'" Acts 28:1-6

Everyone saw Paul bitten by a snake. The natives on the island have seen the outcomes of everyone that's been bitten by that type of snake, and probably haven't been good since they're waiting for Paul to "swell up and fall down dead." Instead, he sits by the fire saying to himself, "great, what next," but holding onto God's promise that "do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar." (Acts 26:24)

What's your Viper? What's your poisonous snake? What's our "viper" that might have bitten us that people would look at, and think that we will never recover? Or, that I might think I may never recover from? Was there, or is there, any situation or moment of our lives that would cause others, or even ourselves to think that we won't recover? The damage is done. Nothing can fix it.

"You of little faith. Why do you doubt?" Matt 14:31
"When the Lord All-Powerful makes a plan, no one can stop it." Isaiah 14:27 NCV

Not even me.

"Paul shook the snake off into the fire and was not hurt." Acts 28:5

Whatever whispers or discouraging remarks I may hear from others or from Satan, I need to shake it off, and continue on. The Lord will redeem me. God is faithful, even though my faith falters.

"I believe. Help me overcome my unbelief." (Mark 9:24)

But the people who trust the Lord will become strong again.
They will rise up as an eagle in the sky;
they will run and not need rest;
they will walk and not become tired." Isaiah 40:31

"That is why we are not discouraged. Though outwardly we are wearing out, inwardly we are renewed day by day. Our suffering is light and temporary and is producing for us an eteranl glory that is greater than anything we can imagine." 2 Corinthians 4:16-17

The Lord says it a whole lot better than I can.

God of This City

I love this song. What makes this song even more amazing is the story that brought this song about. It was not written by a little blond guy from Texas, but by a group called Bluetree from Belfast. They were invited to do an outreach in Thailand, and found themselves in the darkest city they've ever been to, to sing worship songs, and hope to touch hearts. Below is the link of the story that Bluetree shared. Read it, and then come back to read the lyrics. I hope it breaks your heart not only for the city or the bar they sang this in, but also the city you're in right now.

When I heard the story from my pastor, we sang the song at the end of the service. My heart broke imagining what Bluetree saw while singing this song in that city and in the bar as they sang this song in.

http://octagus.typepad.com/steph/2008/01/god-of-this-cit.html

God of This City

You're the God of this city
You're the King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation
You Are

You're the Light in the darkness
You're the Hope to the hopeless
You're the Peace to the restless
You are

Bridge:
For there is no one like our God
There is no one like our God

Chorus 1:
Greater things have yet to come
Great things are still to be done
In this city
Greater things are still to come
And greater things are still to be done here

Verse 2:
You're the Lord of Creation
The Creator of all things
You're the King above all Kings
You Are

You're the strength in our weakness
You're the love to the broken
You're the joy in the sadness
You Are

Chorus 2:
Greater things have yet to come
Great things are still to be done
In this city
Where glory shines from hearts alive
With praise for you and love for you
In this city

Greater things have yet to come
Great things are still to be done
In this city
Greater things are still to come
And greater things are still to be done here