A New Adventure, the Sabbath

The Action Through Enterprise Film Premiere in Ramsbury last night was incredible! I woke up refreshed and was ready to worship with fellow believers. Luke and I ambled over to Holy Cross Anglican Church. It is a church with LOTS of history. We arrived a few minutes before the service was to start. There were four people up in the balcony ringing the bells, calling the community to church. Little by little, people straggled in just before the service began. The service was a bit different than what I am used to...first of all, it was in English and not Dagaare. And, we followed a Prayer service printed in a book. Everything was from a prayerbook or hymnal. There were no extemporaneous prayer or anything.

It was nice to visit a different church. It made me really concentrate on the words I was saying/praying. Since they were written down, did I really mean what I read them, or was I just reading words? Good questions!

After church, we walked around, reading the old tombstones before we returned home. Then, breakfast and a quiet afternoon of relaxing and reading and visiting with friends. Tomorrow will be another day to be a "tourist."

It was evening and it was morning. The Sabbath.

Gandys Cove Visit, Part 1

Last week, I had the privilege to visit a great group of people in Gandy's Cove, Alabama. (Roll Tide!) I arrived in Huntsville on Tuesday morning and was met by my friend and soul mate, Karen and her husband, Larry. Although it was raining, the temperatures were balmy...in the 40s. Ahhh! Lunch was in Huntsville with Dr. Danny and his wife, Rosario. I feel as if I have know them forever. Dr. Danny even prescribed my typhoid meds for me so I wouldn't have to track down the health department in Erie to get them. I found out at lunch that the basketball game I was to attend was cancelled because of ice on the roads. (Go Wildcats!) When we arrived at Karen's house, my room had fresh cut flowers and a bath set with soap and lotion and lots of fun stuff to pamper myself while there.

 

 

My schedule was set for the week. On Wednesday, I would just hang out and relax. So, we visited the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville. We saw lots of space capsules and even a space shuttle. I crawled into the mercury capsule. (It was not a pretty sight, me getting in and out. Karen likes me enough that she didn't take a picture of that!) An IMAX movie of the Hubble telescope and a visit to Miss Baker's grave (the first Monkeynaut) completed our excursion. Wednesday evening, I was able to celebrate Isaac's birthday with his family. It was really good to see these co-workers for the Kingdom in a relaxed setting and to share stories of ministry.

Thursday, I was to pick up my typhoid meds and spend a few hours at the Cerebral Palsy Center in Huntsville. And, Friday was a Bible study breakfast with some women from Gandy's Cove UMC. Instead, there was four inches of snow and everything was cancelled and / or closed down. It was nice sitting in front of the wood stove watching Celtic Thunder, but I was anxious to do the things that were scheduled. I guess God had other plans, R & R!

 

I sometimes don't take time for myself. Don't take time for friends, to really develop those relationships. This was the perfect time to do that. It took me a little while, but, I was able to be grateful to God for the down time, for the BEAUTIFUL scenery and for getting everyone home safe! Lessons learned or reinforced...take time for me, relationships and gratefulness.

Drainers and Gainers

 

"Drainers and Gainers." Have you ever thought about them? If you are like most people, there are ever present in your life. I know they are in mine. "Drainers"...those things in my life that drain the energy from me, they sap away my strength. It seems as if I have a lot of those lately...a VERY hectic speaking schedule, constantly packing and unpacking, doctor's appointments, travel, a cluttered table, piles of stuff to pack for Ghana, homework...and there is always the stuff I should do, but haven't, like my newsletter and weekly team updates.

 

Praise God, there are also "Gainers" in my life...things that energize me. Things like worship in my heart language, lunch with a friend, quiet time with God, being with my sister, seeing the hand of God work in my life and in the lives of others, clearing a pile of "stuff' and finding a place for all of it, being able to sleep in "my own" bed, being thankful, making a card or scrap booking, a good Bible study, taking a Sabbath rest, walking...those things help me get motivated to do more, they revitalize my life.

 

But, what do we do when the drainers outnumber the gainers? I try to reduce my drainers by one or two each week. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Other times, I have to "just say 'no!'" to whatever is being asked of me. I also try to increase the gainers. I NEED to have my quiet time with the Lord. I NEED to thank God for my many blessings. I NEED to sleep! I NEED to be with my sister, in person, or on the phone. I NEED to make progress in de-cluttering my life.

 

In the end, the gainers have to outnumber the drainers. If not, exhaustion takes place. Then, what good am I? I thank God that He has given me the wisdom to discern what drains me and what doesn't. And, I am grateful to Him for those who help me see, when I am blind to the stresses in my life. I need to remain in Him and remember, He gave us the Sabbath for a reason!