Active Labor

"Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and he will be called Immanuel [meaning God is with us]." ~ Matthew 1:23, Isaiah 7:14

I was starting to become short of breath after dashing right behind another nurse who was running a little faster than I could. Holding the big kit that had a big basin and other materials we possibly needed, our loud footsteps and the set of keys in my right pocket made noises that filled the entire long corridor, leading to one of the units for female inmates. We just received a call that a pregnant inmate was in pain and looked like she was in labor. The charge nurse already knew who it was even before they mentioned the name, as medical staff had been keeping track of those who were in their later term of pregnancy.

We saw her crying, forgetting to breathe at times as the deputy tried to console her and comfort her. We had her get up on our exam table in a small clinic and as the other nurse signaled that she felt the baby's head starting to come out, I immediately called for an ambulance over the radio to the charge nurse. Soon enough, the rest of nurses and other higher ranking custody staff came in and were standing by to help us out. The interventions were quick. The adrenaline was being felt all over that tiny room. As I started the paperworks, some of the nurses were encouraging her and helping her remember her breathing. The contractions seemed to be narrowing in between and the more tears she shed as they did.

There was something about delivering a baby that brought both excitement and joy. Despite the setting, we seemed to have forgotten the dark place and the vision of heavy metal bars beyond the glass window of the clinic. Everyone was excited, awaiting the birth of a special gift that was about to come. The ambulance arrived. More blood gushed out. But she was able to be transported to the nearest hospital. The baby did not arrive in the prison which in a way, everyone was thankful for. Because being born in the jail was not a desirable place at all.

But thousands of years ago, a unique birth happened in Bethlehem. It was already prophesied years before. Conceived by the Spirit. Born in an undesirable place: in a stable. Heaven's Greatest Gift to mankind: JESUS...Who came as a suffering servant but will come again as King and Judge. The true meaning of Christmas...

Do you see Jesus as a baby in the manger or is He the Lord of your life? Have you accepted heaven's gift of love into your heart?



Friends, Merry Christmas to all of you and may you be filled with His richest spiritual blessings come 2011...I'm on and off blogging. Thank you for your love, prayers and friendships. God bless.

Jehovah Jireh

2 Peter 3:18 ~ "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen." [emphasis is mine]


A coworker called me as soon as she got off work to tell me about some drastic changes with our schedule at work, including mine. I had been working part- time, not more than 8 hours per night for so many years now. I couldn't work more than 8 hours because of my neck injury in 1997 and that, I had been working weekend nights, to help out my husband and child during the weekdays that both of them are busy with work and school.

I was saddened to hear that the new acting supervisor had changed my schedule to work 12 hours some nights and 2 weekdays, he assigned me. I knew it would happen because our PM shift was really having trouble keeping a good number of nurses to work. Unfortunately, the night crew has to make changes. But I understood why he had to do that.

My initial reaction was feeling injustice for the night shift but when I started praying and giving it to the Lord, calm enveloped me. He reminded me that anything that happens has a purpose. My prayer for what I thought I needed changed to "what do you want for me to do Oh Lord?"

Friends, please pray for me. That even if I make my requests to only be able to work 8 hours to prevent my neck pain and blood pressure from going higher, and to be able to either keep my weekend nights or at least, be able to go home early on weekdays they assigned me to work, may it be the Lord's will to be done. Pray that He will give me discernment regarding this matter.

The rest of the day, nothing bothered me anymore. Because when I remind myself every time of His true promises, I know that nothing will go wrong. I know that He is truly in control. That if He is asking me to make changes, I don't want to miss doing something for Him, instead of what I want. The reason why....the thought of "if" Mary did not become obedient, I couldn't imagine the consequences of her actions. For she conceived the "Son of God", the "Savior of the world."

When plans go awry...sicknesses disrupt the health...finances on the verge of being empty...no matter what the cause, what's important is the truth that His faithful love abides. He makes His grace perfect through those weaknesses. Our Greatest Provider is all we need! Glory be to God forever!




Father God, I lift up all of your children. No matter how much we differ with our walks in this life's journey, this world will always challenge our faith in You. Help us to know more and more of Jesus so we can discern which are the things of the world and which are from You. Help us to draw nearer to You, Oh Lord. Thank You for Your grace, love,mercy and all of Your provisions. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

The Bleeding Finger

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ ~ Matthew 25:37-40

Photo Credit

"Hey Rcubes! What do you think about this man's..." The LVN was barely finished with her question when the unit deputy from the back of the Clinic brought out the inmate again. His 3rd finger of the left hand, previously treated by the LVN asking me a question, started bleeding again and a few drops of blood were visible on the trail he left behind. 

I opened one of the exam rooms immediately and thought of applying a tourniquet right away even before assessing the wound. 2 LVN's came rushing to help me prepare some gauzes and other things I needed. It felt like we were doing an emergency surgery. And I was the one leading this procedure.

"Lord, help me and guide me..." I softly prayed.

Trying to be calm, I motioned the inmate and had him sit on a chair close to a table where it was already prepared with materials I needed. Explaining everything as my hands started working, I made a make-shift tourniquet out of one of the "stockinette dressings" [a tubular kind of dressing] and made a knot close to the base of his finger.

"Just keep your hand higher," I instructed. After loosening, tightening for several minutes, the bleeding finally stopped and I cleaned the small wound and put special tape that will hold the small laceration together. Applying pressure still, I applied a small dab of antibiotic and covered it with a gauze and some type of pressure tape.

When I got done, I had him get up and wash his hands smeared with his dried up blood. Having an ordinary conversation as if he wasn't even an inmate, he thanked me and uttered a "Good night." The whole night passed by and he never complained. So, the bleeding must have stopped completely by then.

"Thank You Lord," I uttered myself as I thanked the LVN's who came to my rescue immediately without being told.

"You help us, too Rcubes. That's okay," they replied with a smile.

Just one of ordinary moments we do as medical staff inside the prison. This is a dark and evil place where a lot of unexpected things occur. Riots may burst any second. Inmates may fall and sustain different kinds of injuries. Some suicidal ones intentionally hurt themselves.

The first time I started working here and had gone a tremendous change from being an Orthopedic Nurse to a Correctional Nurse, I thought, "God, why are You putting so much pressure on me?"

As I slowly became involved with seeing and treating these inmates, the answer came clearly through those encounters. If I want to be a faithful and obedient disciple for Him, I don't have an option to neglect helping out these inmates, who are both physically sick , much more with their spiritual conditions.

Yes, thousands of them behind bars are making my heart bleed each day that I am there to work. And my heart bleeds as God does put pressure on it, not to make it stop bleeding, but to continue to spill the compassion, kindness, mercy, love and grace He poured into my heart.

Yes, Lord Jesus, May I always be compassionate and merciful like You. Thank You for Your love, grace and mercy on me! There is none like You, Oh Lord, full of love, mercy, and grace. I love You Lord.



THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU

(CHORUS):

THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU
NO ONE ELSE CAN TOUCH MY HEART LIKE YOU DO
I COULD SEARCH FOR ALL ETERNITY LONG, AND FIND THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU(x2)


YOUR MERCY FLOWS LIKE A RIVER WIDE
AND HEALING COMES FROM
YOUR HANDS
SUFFERING CHILDREN ARE SAFE IN YOUR ARMS
THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU

I COULD SEARCH FOR ALL ETERNITY LONG AND FIND
THERE IS NONE
THERE IS NONE
THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU

Regrets Or No Regrets

Proverbs 3:5-6

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart;

do not depend on your own understanding.

Seek his will in all you do,

and he will show you which path to take.” [NLT]

Thousands of pairs of feet had walked in day after day, weeks after weeks, months after months that turned to even many years, into this thick-walled prison. Crimes differed. From minor offenses to the heaviest sort. Driving under the influence. Rape. Battery. Robbery. Resisting arrest. Murder…

It was all one reason after all why these inmates ended up in this dark place. Wrong choices. They had made wrong decisions that ultimately put them behind these metal bars.

We all face an unseen war daily. And it starts from within ourselves. We all face that road where we have to make decisions. Sometimes, we know the consequences. Most of the time, we’re unsure and willingly take risks anyway. Until we succeed or lose. But the question is….”Did we make a wise choice?”

Wisdom that comes from God is truly much higher than what we know. Through His Word, by the Spirit, His providence and God’s people, we all can benefit when we choose to seek counsel from Him and His people. His way helps us avoid those roads that lead to destruction! It’s better to walk uncomfortably now in that narrow path than be walking on a wide one and ending up with so much regrets!

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." ~Psalm 119:105