This past week saw me once again curled up on the couch and taking several days off work because I was sick. Over the October long weekend we went to a music festival outside of Sydney. As usual at this festival it rained and we were all camping. On top of that it has been unseasonably cold. So as you can see I would love to blame my sickness on things outside myself, but when it comes down to it I know that part of why I keep getting sick is that I am too busy and take on too many things.
In Sunday School last week we talked about playing and used the imagery of a juggler. I’ve been reflecting on that image and I think the long and short of it is, though I am practiced and can keep the appearance of everything gliding along smoothly, the truth is that I have too many balls in the air. I am trying to juggle more than I can handle at this point and my body is saying enough is enough.
The interns (Radical Journey team) arrived just over 4 weeks ago. We have had a full life together since they landed. Their volunteer placements are still getting rolling so they have had time to sit and read at home, but I have been run off my feet. There were people to talk to, conferences, events to plan, prep work to do for those events, a garden that needed to be planted, connecting the interns with organizations and trying to show the interns how to get around, where things are and give them a bit of an orientation to Aussie culture.
We are finding our patterns of life together and beginning to share a story of life here at Irene’s Place. I can’t count how many times I have heard one of them say “I need to blog” or after an activity or event saying “good, I can blog about this”. The narrative of this place and of us as a small people group coming together is emerging. We read the bible and pray together and so we name that God’s story is woven into ours. (See below for the interns blog addresses)
I have so much still to learn about myself and these things are exposed as I live in community. But I am thankful for words from a teenager that give me a reality check on my priorities. I am grateful for a co-worker who doesn’t give me a choice about taking time off. I am impressed by and sometimes in awe of these young women who travelled half way round the world to serve and to learn about God and themselves and how these stories weave together. I am taking time and beginning to see if I don’t put some of these balls down they will get dropped or I will fall over with exhaustion. It’s a slow process, but I’m learning.
In Sunday School last week we talked about playing and used the imagery of a juggler. I’ve been reflecting on that image and I think the long and short of it is, though I am practiced and can keep the appearance of everything gliding along smoothly, the truth is that I have too many balls in the air. I am trying to juggle more than I can handle at this point and my body is saying enough is enough.
The interns (Radical Journey team) arrived just over 4 weeks ago. We have had a full life together since they landed. Their volunteer placements are still getting rolling so they have had time to sit and read at home, but I have been run off my feet. There were people to talk to, conferences, events to plan, prep work to do for those events, a garden that needed to be planted, connecting the interns with organizations and trying to show the interns how to get around, where things are and give them a bit of an orientation to Aussie culture.
We are finding our patterns of life together and beginning to share a story of life here at Irene’s Place. I can’t count how many times I have heard one of them say “I need to blog” or after an activity or event saying “good, I can blog about this”. The narrative of this place and of us as a small people group coming together is emerging. We read the bible and pray together and so we name that God’s story is woven into ours. (See below for the interns blog addresses)
I have so much still to learn about myself and these things are exposed as I live in community. But I am thankful for words from a teenager that give me a reality check on my priorities. I am grateful for a co-worker who doesn’t give me a choice about taking time off. I am impressed by and sometimes in awe of these young women who travelled half way round the world to serve and to learn about God and themselves and how these stories weave together. I am taking time and beginning to see if I don’t put some of these balls down they will get dropped or I will fall over with exhaustion. It’s a slow process, but I’m learning.
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