Was God Being Ridiculous?

I was in the car one sunday when I read the story of Abraham and Sarah. I loved their story. It’s something I can always remember during times I want to control some parts of my life, say for example my love life. 

I have been single for quite a while now, and of course I am hoping to one day marry. I’m asking God not for a perfect partner, but someone perfect for me. Someone who will make me realize more how much love God can provide His children. Someone who’s gonna inspire me to do more, achieve more, and give more all for God’s glory. Someone who’s gonna bring out the best version of myself. 

So here’s the story. Sarah couldn’t bear Abraham a child so she gave her slave Hagar for Abraham to sleep with. Hagar became pregnant eventually. Sarah was devastated. She was unhappy. She thought she would be happy, but she wasn’t. She despised Hagar, mistreated her, so Hagar left (Genesis 16:1-6).

Hagar was found by an angel near a spring by the desert.The angel told her that she should come back to Sarah. Her son would be named Ishmael. Abraham was eighty-six when Hagar bore him Ishmael. 

One thing I loved about the side of Hagar’s story was when she said “You are the God who sees me.” (Genesis 16:13)  Isn’t that a wonderful thing, when you are assured that God sees you?  He sees you, and He cares. 

Let’s get back to Sarah. She took things in her own hands instead of waiting on God’s timing. In Genesis 17:16,17, God said that He will bless Sarah and will surely give Abraham a son by her. Abraham laughed and said to himself “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” 

God said yes, and that they are to name their child Isaac. When Sarah knew about this, she laughed to herself thinking “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?” (Genesis 18:12)

Sarah knew about this during the visit of three visitors at Abraham’s place. So one of them asked why Sarah laughed and said “Will I really have a child, now that I am old?” So one of them said “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14)

That is another fact I loved about this story. The fact that one of the visitors actually questioned Sarah why she laughed, and retorted with “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” I think it’s one of the best responses we can give our problems pestering us. I love it. You don’t have a boyfriend, and you fear you have no one to marry someday, no one to take care of you, oh come on girl, is anything too hard for the Lord? I love it; next time, this is what I’m gonna tell my friends who need advice. Our problems, doubts and fears may be answered with a question: Is anything too hard for the Lord?

So in time, Sarah gave birth to Isaac. She said in Genesis 21:6, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh at me.” 

God stayed true to His promise of giving Abraham and Sarah a child. Only in His perfect time, did He gave Sarah the privilege of becoming a mother to Isaac. Guess what Isaac means? It means “he laughs.”

So tell me, with this wonderful story full of lessons, was God being ridiculous? 

An Open Letter to All Nurses:

As a nurse, I often think of ways to inspire and motivate myself. Nursing is a tiring job, it saps out energy from you. And while you're too busy making sure your patients receive their medicines on time, or your pediatric patients get to have their diapers changed or their tantrums managed well, you realize you're missing out on your social life. Granted that our job is draining, albeit noble, to some nurses whose workplaces are less friendly, soon begin to ask why on earth had they chosen to become a nurse.

Do you know I remind myself of this Bible text whenever I go on duty? It's found in Hebrews 13:2, it says "Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it." Come to think of it, how awesome is that? I'd like to always do good and cause no harm to my patients because whether they are angels in all sense of the word, or not, I am a nurse, and I am someone they NEED.

With this in mind, I conclude that nurses are a form of heroes. In fact, when I was in college, the nurses refer to us student nurses as "angels," because of the things we do to ease up the workload. In the same way as professional nurses, we are heroes or angels to both the doctors and the patients. We make everything so much easier.

And while we make things easier for them, which is rewarding by the way, we can't ignore the fact that we also are humans whose immune systems get compromised and eventually get sick too. So here's an inspiring verse from 2 Chronicles 15:7, to keep you striving to become healthier and stronger; "But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded." Positive reinforcement, guys, "your work shall be rewarded..." Isn't that something to look forward to? Also in Hebrews 6:10, it says  "God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them."

"Our labor in the Lord is not in vain," (1 Corinthians 15:58).  Keep that in mind and you'll stay focused in doing the job effectively and efficiently so that others will be blessed, and their hearts will be praising God! Remember Proverbs 31:13 "...works with willing hands," this is a quality we all should possess as nurses, because we're not talking about computers or money here, this is LIFE we deal with every single day, lives of our patients and their families who love and care for them. This is crucial. Believe that we are nurses for a reason. Believe that "It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure," (Psalm 18:32). And the senses that we use in our assessment? Proverbs 20:12 says "The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them." We are blessed to have clinical eyes to recognize any anomalies, or to acknowledge a patient's way to recovery. We are privileged that we are nurses. Motivate yourself into thinking that "we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do," (Ephesians 2:10).

And to fulfill the commandment found in John 15:12 which says "Love each other as I have loved you," we nurses should commit to our work and bear in mind "that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus," (Philippians 1:6). So no matter how difficult nursing can be, always put yourselves in your patients' shoes, and be the nurse you would want yourself to have in case you get sick and become a patient. Proverbs 3:27 says "Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act." Make plans to alleviate your patients' pain, talk to them, assure them of the best that you can do to help them feel better. Be the nurse that they will thank God for. We are God's extended hand, and always remember to "not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up," (Galatians 6:9).

And to all nurses and health care practitioners out there, as well as the patients they take care of, here is my prayer: "Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well," (3 John 1:2).

Twenty One and Strong

It has been more than a year since my last entry here. After graduation last year, we had a day to rest, and then review for the board exam started. April last year, we headed to Graceland in Tayabas, Quezon and stayed there for six weeks for intense review. The Graceland Experience was one of a kind, and SCIONS and Aim One families are never ever forgotten. "Grab Your License!" Great days and nights, great people, great food, great activities, great learning, great faith and really just a totally, completely, great journey!

May last year, I, together with my batchmates braved the May 2014 Nurse Licensure Examination for 2 days. Pass or fail, the Lord is to be praised. Waited a month for the results. Prayed harder, got bored, watched movies, read novels, went to the gym, played the guitar for a month.

Until the 27 of June last year, I had finally added two letters to my name. To God be the glory because I am now Iris Desiree F. Robeves, RN.

July last year, we had our oathtaking at Lucena, Quezon. It was also the month we took ACLS, BLS and IVT! Way to go!

August was spent on passing resumes. September was purely waiting and waiting and waiting and deciding.

October, I became one of the PalaWanderers! Started  the 3-month training at the Adventist Hospital Palawan. It was an amazing, inspiring, wonderful, heaven-sent adventure that I am forever grateful to God for. Because I met and worked with God fearing, excellent nurses and hospital staff, learned to live independently, was very free, wandered on my escapades, reflected so much about God and life.

November, December, January, February. I visited home on Christmas last year, got lonely and homesick in January. Celebrated my 21st birthday on a Sabbath day and decided my hashtag will be #TwentyOneAndStrong. Finally graduated with my batch sweet sixteen, and had my interview for employment.

March, I processed requirements and had my pre-employment medical. Also transferred to the dormitory. Oh! I failed to mention I made friends with three lovely dogs back at the apartment. So when I was all set to sign and seal the contract...BOOM.

It just happened. March this year, I went back home here in Cavite. Took the exam and had my interview at SLHMC, had my pre-employment medical.

April this year was spent on waiting. But I received my ukulele from Cebu! A birthday gift from a "special someone" who wants to remain anonymous. It's personalized, it has my name on it, and it's just really gorgeous!

April this year, there were changes. And now, I am writing this. I am clueless. I don't know what's next. But what I do know and sure about is that GOD is in control. He is. He's fighting for and with me. Philippians 4:13 again and again!