Sunday, March 29, 2009

My First Pots!

Claire and I took up pottery at the end of February. These are my first two pieces. Everyone, including myself, was sooo impressed. Girl got skillz, what can I say?

I started on the wheel last week and hope to have some of those pieces soon!!
(Click on each picture to see the detail).





Friday, March 27, 2009

Henna

My first time (outside of street fairs that charge you $30 for a small butterfly on your arm) getting henna. The girls loved the fact that I got it. A woman at the museum had a little stand. This cost me a little under $5. Two weeks later it's starting to fade away.


Dubai Museum

I took my girls to the Dubai Museum. This was my first trip to downtown Dubai. The museum is housed in a fort. It tells the development of Bedouin society and the UAE. It was really cool. One of the best museums I've ever seen.





Sunday, March 22, 2009

Happy Birthday to Me!!

It's been 8 years since I became a Christian. I can't believe how time flies. It feels as if it just happened yesterday. I wouldn't trade any of it for anything...

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all those who have been influential in my walk.

But most importantly, thank you Jesus, who knows just how far the east is from the west, when You spread Your arms out upon that cross for me.

Last year's post

Saturday, March 21, 2009

I Have a Brain and It is Perfect!

Amen!?!? My MRI came back perfect. My blood results on the other hand did not. It's a long story. I'm treatable. I just have to wait a few more weeks for my doctor to return.

Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait.

I do believe this is the story of my life. If someone was to write a biography about me, it would be one page long. This is what it would say:

"The Lord constantly taught her to wait upon Him.
Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait..."

Thursday, March 19, 2009

The Judah....Da Da Da

The Judah cat has returned!! God is so faithful. I cried a lot over the little babe, but then put it all in God's hands. The more I thought about the situation, the happier I was. I knew and I trusted God to take care of Him. He says He would, and He has!!!
I am so glad I serve a wonderful, trustworthy God!

I'm also very happy to see Judah back at home. He's naughty. :)

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Judah is Missing

My kitty is missing!! He ran away last night. I'm so sad!! But I will trust God to return him...

Al-Ain Zoo

During our four day break, I rented a car with two ladies from work and drove 2 hours to Al-Ain, which is right on the boarder of Oman. We couldn't go into Oman because it's illegal to take rental cars across the boarder. We enjoyed our day at the zoo. It was very hot!!! The poor animals stayed in the shade. They are smarter than us.




Monday, March 16, 2009

Trusting Him

J. Hudson Taylor once wondered, "How does a person really learn to trust God and hear His voice in 1852, as those in the Bible did?"

The same questions is relevant today as it was in 1852 and every year before and after that. How do I learn to trust God like those in the Bible and afterward?

God says that He supplies all of our needs. He will take care of us. He is our Father and we are His children. He tells us to call on Him and see just what He will do.

I know I need to learn this lesson so desperately. He is my only true need. He is all that I want and nothing more. However, life brings it's little surprises, so to speak. I decided to take God at His word.

I have needed an MRI for sometime now, going from doctor to doctor, with no success. Finally, I found a doctor who applied for a CT scan for me. Ok, well, that's a step closer. Fine. Turns out, the doctor never filed my paperwork with the insurance company. I waited 2 weeks and still no approval because no one could find the paperwork!! I was told to make another appointment (which I would have had to pay for) and see the doctor again. I was also told that because my insurance was expiring soon, that the CT scan would not be approved.

Well, I went to another doctor, who applied for a MRI. Same thing. Insurance was expiring and our school was switching companies...no way. I couldn't even get a full month of medicine under my insurance.

Well, I've been waiting and waiting for this new insurance card from the new company. I would have to make and pay for another appointment with the new doctor, then have the doctor write up the MRI and go back again to have the test. This can not be done without the insurance card.

The person in charge of insurance kept telling me to pay out of my pocket and apply for the money back. I had a MRI in the States of my shoulder and it cost $5,000 USD. I don't have that kind of "pocket change."

From that point on, I knew God was going to have to do something and I needed to trust Him. I prayed and prayed and asked Him to make a way. Saturday night I got a call from the hospital asking when I wanted to come in for the MRI.

I was shocked!!!

How did this happen?!? The old insurance company could not have approved it? Could they? My insurance expired nearly 10 days prior! The new company surely did not approve it because the hospital did not know I have a new company!

A bit of fear flushed over me. Would the hospital expect me to pay out of pocket?!?

On Sunday, I went to see if the insurance card had come in yet. If I have the card, I wouldn't have to pay.

Well, not that it surprised me, but there was no card! The person again told me to pay out of pocket and I told him I did not have that money. He was shocked (although, I told him before) at the price. He gave me a form to get money back if I paid. I clearly stated to him that I would not be paying for it.

Either somehow an insurance company would take care of it now or someone would give me the money to pay.

Well, I walked in and handed them my old insurance card for proof of who I am since I didn't have another card. I had the MRI and walked out. No one asked me for money. No one said the card was expired. Nothing.

I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was God's doing. He is so faithful to His word. If I can trust Him in those small things, then I can trust Him with much larger, more impossible things. I pray that God continues to teach me to trust Him in ever aspect of my life. I pray the same for you.


*As for the MRI, I freaked out. The technician told me to close my eyes. He strapped me in, put a cage over my face and rolled me in the machine. He said, now, open!! I screamed to be let out. It was the most scariest thing in my life. After composing myself, I went back in. This time, I told him I was not going to open my eyes. He was afraid I would go to sleep, which you're not supposed to with a brain scan.

I was not allowed to move. Usually when I'm scared, I pray or sing. I had to do that all in my heart. Everything within me wanted to bust out in prayer aloud.

The scan took almost an hour. I moved once, so that part had to be redone. I was really scared the whole time, but I knew the Lord was right with me. I don't think my heart ever raced so fast in my life before!!

Hopefully, I'll have the results by Thursday.

Friday, March 13, 2009

Nicole's History

This day in Nicole history:

Two Years Ago (2007)


One Year Ago (2008)


Theme of my life: Wait, Wait, Wait, Wait, Wait....upon Him!

My birthday is in 9 days!!!! I will be 8 years old! :)

Letters

By the way, feel free to send me letter, pictures, etc. I've gotten one letter from my friend Michelle. That's it. Nothing else. Not even from my own family. No Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine's Day cards...not one. If you ever feel moved to, please write!!! The only mail I get is the one internet bill.

:*(

Church and School

A few pictures from school. I finally went "native." One of my boy's parents sent traditional food to school for Prophet's Day. I ate local style for the first time...with my hands!!! You gather the food in your hands and then squeeze it all together. Then, you use your thumb as a fork. One guess how I felt about this...

As for church, if you look hard, you can see Ray Comfort on the wall. My students (I teach the 12-14 year old class) are learning about Way of the Master. We've finished "Hell's Best Kept Secret," "True and False Conversion," "The Firefighter," and some lessons on how to approach sinners using the Ten Commandments. Next week, they will start to learn how to defend their faith and speak to those of different faiths. The kids are really excited for the upcoming weeks. So am I. I love apologetics.





6th Grade Projects

Just a sample of the work my students have been doing. (Mesopotamia, Egypt, Kush and India). I'm a huge fan of project work.







Monday, March 2, 2009

UAE Doctors

Seven doctors later...My blood vessels are not dilating. I'm not getting enough blood to my brain. That explains my symptoms. I need a MRI soon. Waiting on the approval by the insurance company. My insurance expires this week. Apparently, we are changing companies?!? Who knows. I'm trying not to get stress out about it. Waiting is the most difficult part.

I've been on some medicines for treatment and prevention of the issue at hand. I've been feeling a bit better. I feel like I have a bit more energy. I'm terrible at taking pills. I often forget to take the night pill until late at night. That means, it takes a long time for it to start working...and I stay up late!

But through it all, G-d is faithful! How I would change nothing to see Him glorified. For that, all the suffering and waiting is so worth it. He continues to teach me to trust Him. I am grateful. How I fail at times, yet, He remains the same. I know of no other like Him.

I'm looking forward to the summer. I will be staying with some very dear friends who are family to me. I will be staying in the "country," which means I can relax more. I need it. I will also be going to Repent and Witness again!!! I'm super excited about that. I miss the crew from last year!