frazzled

I hate it when I feel like I’m not doing enough “important” work, like I’m not accomplishing things that “matter.”  The only one putting this pressure on me is me, but I imagine that if I’m not living up to some (non-existent) expectations that I’m letting people down.  We can only be here in Mali, through the generous financial support of certain folks back in the states.  Never once has one of our supporters put any demands, expectations, or pressure on me as far as what I am accomplishing.  No one has ever asked how jam packed I’ve managed to fill my schedule with work, or asked to see a list of results.  So it really is all in my own head, I’m the only one putting pressure on myself.
I’m starting to learn though, to really get it, (through much frustration and many frazzled moments) that it is better to do only 2 or 3 things with excellence than to try to do 10 things.  When I try to do 10 things, it might seem impressive (even to me) but behind the scenes something’s gotta give.  Everything will not be excellent because there is only so much time and energy to go around.  For me this looks like not getting enough sleep, not eating regular well-balanced meals, and not getting as much exercise as I’d like.  What is my use of time/energy/resources showing that my priorities actually are?  What do I want my priorities to be?
“If you aim for nothing, you’ll hit it every time.”  I (re)heard this quote recently and it’s been running through my head. 
I think it is essential to have consciously thought through priorities and goals. 
And this isn’t to add more pressure, but to organize life; to make room for what is really important to me, and so that there will be times of rest.  God didn’t mean for us to keep going non-stop; He gave us the Sabbath.  When we choose not to rest, sometimes the choice is taken from us when we get sick and can’t keep going for a while.  I’d rather enjoy moments of chosen rest than to be forced to rest due to illness!

So I’m reevaluating things.  What can I/should I cut out of my life/schedule?  It is really easy to say “yes” and commit to more things.  I have committed to some perfectly good activities, but what is the best use of my time and energy?  If the best for me on a Friday night at 7 is having a date with my husband, I shouldn’t need to feel guilty that I’m not in this or that meeting or activity.  Maybe the 2 or 3 things I keep on my schedule will in the end be as effective, give as many real results, as trying to do the 10 things.  And if not, at least I'll (hopefully) stay sane and healthy in the process.
What matters is that I do what God has for me today, I don't need to worry about whether or not it seems like "important" work. 
"To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life - this is indeed a gift from God."  Ecc. 5:19

This week I've had scheduled activities 6 out of 7 mornings, and 6 out of 7 evenings.  On my "free" morning and evening (not the same day) I did food shopping at market, bread baking, cooking, laundry arranging, and work to prepare for all those activities.  Next week looks like it will be about the same.  We will be going to Chad to visit JP's family soon, and I am planning that when we get back life will be more relaxed.  I won't have as many different things on my calendar, and I'll be able to focus on those couple things that I've made priority.  I'm looking forward to that and trying to keep going through the next couple weeks of craziness!

English club visit

One of my favorite English students asked me over and over if I would please come to his English club.  He even came to visit me at home with a member of his club to convince me to skip church on a Sunday morning and go to their English club instead.  I finally agreed to go.  He said that the club would be 2 hours long and I could observe and then they’d be interested to hear what I thought of it, and they wanted to let the club members ask me questions at the end if that would be ok with me. 

I took a taxi across town to a high school complex, and I found my student setting up a classroom.  He had me sit in front, facing the desks.  The club members came in and I was announced as the honored guest for the morning.  They really treated me like a celebrity or something, it was kind of strange.  At the end they all wanted to get pictures taken with me.  Someone commented that he was really impressed with my accent and really liked how I pronounced words in English.  How funny is that?

The leaders of the club took turns leading different activities – a grammar lesson, a short reading, discussion of 2 proverbs, a short skit, ect.  I really enjoyed the fact that although none of them was “fluent” in English, they took what they knew and shared it with those wanting to learn.  Finally, with a solid 20 minutes left to go, I was asked to stand up and talk with the students.  I introduced myself and then opened it up to questions.  They asked a lot of different questions, but the ones I found the most interesting were about language learning.  I encouraged them to keep up their learning and practice in the club, to find English language music and movies, to keep working at it every day, and to allow themselves to make mistakes along the way.  Someone asked if I could share the “secret” to learning a language.  I sure wish I knew some magical secret that could help me in my own language learning!  I don’t think there is a secret, it’s a process, something that you just have to keep working at. 

pretty(?) taxi

I snapped a couple pictures last week on one of my taxi rides to show you how drivers often decorate their taxis.  In the top photo you see the fancy fringe (with beads even! oh la la!) that is tacked up all around the inside, and in the bottom there is some grey stuff that always makes me think of muppet fur/hair.  Every taxi has things hanging from the rearview mirror.  I remember how I was once pulled over (in the states) and the police officer asked me to remove the small necklace charm I had hanging off of my rearview mirror.  I guess that here the police don't care.  This guy has some kind of snowman windsock (ironic seeing as there is never snow here), an air freshener, and a piece of cloth or scarf or something.  Very often there are Muslim prayer beads.  Or small stuffed animals.  I usually recognize the stuffed animal characters and I will ask the drivers if they know who they are.  Once it was a chicken from "Chicken Run" and the guy said he had actually seen the movie.  Another time there was Alvin the Chipmunk and the guy said he didn't know what kind of animal it was supposed to be.  Maybe I am easily amused, but I get a kick out of all the tacky taxi décor.

new puppy

 

No, we didn't get a new puppy.  JP says that 1 dog is enough. (I've tried to talk him into 2, but so far he won't budge.)

But some of our neighbors got a puppy!  Our building has 4 apartment units with a shared courtyard, so our dog Teddy gets to play with the new puppy every day.  It is really one of the cutest things ever to watch them play.  I am happy that Teddy has a canine friend now, and I'm also happy that we had Teddy neutered a while back because the new puppy is a girl. :)