Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Just a "hodge-podge" post.

I have been MIA the last few days. It has been a very busy week, and I just haven't had the energy to sit at the computer to write. I should actually be in bed now, but I have to many things flying through my head, so I thought I would type them out. This may or may not actually become a blog entry. I'll have to wait until the end to see if I actually hit the "post" button. :-)

We had the youngest nephew visit this last week. It has been a lot of fun, and I sure wish I could bottle his energy. :-) I'd lose every pound I need to in just a matter of days. :-) It has really been something to watch "angel" and the younger nephew play together. They always play Power Rangers and Spiderman, and they must "save the world" at least a dozen times a day. This time "angel" had a real treat, because younger nephew brought BOTH of his Spiderman costumes. The "original" and the black one. So, they were both Spiderman. At. The. Same. Time. Oh yeah, it was fun to watch. ;-)

"Angel" turns 4 next week. We looked at dolls for her present, and we did look for Yoda, because she saw a picture of Yoda, and "has to have one." But, in the end my sister said, "who are we kidding? The kid is getting a Power Ranger suit, because that is what she REALLY wants." She is right, of course. And I am pretty sure she will demand to put it on right there in Chucky Cheese. :-) If that happens, you better believe I'll be taking pictures. This is blackmail in the making, ya'll. :-)

The youngest nephew left today and, unfortunately, woke up with a fever this morning. I was told that he slept all of the way home, and the fever was gone. So, that is good. Hopefully, it was just a one shot deal. On the other hand, "little mark", my brother and my sister are all getting colds. I am fervently praying for 2 things. 1) they get rid of them quickly, and 2) they don't feel the need to share, because I AM TO BUSY TO GET SICK!! I have way to much to do, ya'll. Not that they don't, they do. But, I would have to find 3 subs for my co-op classes, that includes preparation and teaching, get my assistant to do everything with 4-H, which is A LOT at the moment, get someone else to teach Sunday School, and we can pretty much just give "little mark" a vacation from school, because that won't be happening. Unfortunately, I won't be able to get a sub to go exercise for me. :-( That would be cool though. Get someone else to do work while I reap the benefits. Oh yeah! :-)

Speaking of the Sunday School, I am kind of in a dilemma there. I have been asked to help teach a class. I am giving it a shot through the month of October, and I really enjoy it. But, I have so much else going on that I am afraid I would be setting myself up for "burn out", again. But, then I feel guilty for not "serving." I know there is more than one way to serve the Lord, and I do feel a call to teach, but in a way I feel like I am already doing that. I also don't mind doing it on a rotation basis, but I just don't think I want to do it full time. Is that selfish? I don't know. I do know that I have experienced burn out twice in the last 5 years, and "IT AIN'T PRETTY, PEOPLE." After the second burn out I went into the nursery. That means no Sunday School or church, and you just really don't get filled/refreshed that way. I mean, there is only so much "Daniel and the Lion's Den" and "Moses" someone can teach before it becomes "routine", and then no one is getting anything out of it.

These last few months I have really benefited from ADULT Sunday School, services, and Women's Bible Study. It has seriously been beneficial to me. I just don't want to lose that.

OK, time to switch gears a little. Last week was "See You At the Pole." Our youth group got together that night for "Saw You at the Pole." We had 200 kids show up. We served them hamburgers, had a concert and the youth pastor led a service that was AWESOME. I really enjoyed it, and you could tell the kids really did too. There were about 30 of them that walked the aisle afterwards. It was awesome. One of the things that was really powerful was the skit the kids did. It was simply amazing, and I found out that there is a video of it on God Tube, so I thought I would share it with you. :-)



I am really looking forward to the Casting Crowns concert on the 18th. I also have a scrapbooking retreat that weekend, so I will be EXHAUSTED, but on the up side, I should have a lot to post about. :-)

Well, looks like the "random blabber" will make it as a post after all. :-)

Love,
Wendy Darling

5 comments:

Princess LadyBug said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Princess LadyBug said...

Wendy darling, you are already answering your call to teach in at least three places. Between homeschooling Little One, teaching at co-op, and 4H, you are teaching more than most teachers who are employed at a school. It's not selfish to want to have the time to replenish your soul. God lead you to this church and I don't think it was so you could wear yourself out like you did at the last church. I think he lead you to this church for YOU. So that YOU get something out of it. And don't feel guilty because you think you're not serving. I'm betting that even without teaching Sunday School you are already doing more than about half of the congregation. That's just who you are.

Keep in mind that avoiding burn out is not selfish. NO ONE benefits from that. Keeping yourself healthy & happy WILL benefit everyone, especially Little One. You can't take care of his needs if you aren't up to taking care of yourself. Physically AND spiritually.

That is just my opinion. :)

Julie said...

This is like visiting the almost mother in law and shingles. Honey, you are allowed to say no to people. I give you permission. You are of no use to God in any way if you are burned out.

WendyDarling said...

Thank you, ladies. :-) I know you are right. It just helps to have my feelings validated. :-)

Ya'll are fantastic!! :-)

Sarah said...

Eric has always told me to look at it as a bank account. When you do for others, it's like writing checks. Money out. When you do for yourself, it's making a deposit. Money in.

You have to have enough money in the bank to cash all of the checks you write. Otherwise you overdraft, and bad things happen, and you apparently go to some sort of banking hell or something (is it apparent that I don't handle the finances?)

Going to bible study, working out at the gym, scrapbooking, etc. those are your deposits to yourself. Doing those things is what makes it possible for you to write all the other checks that you do - all the stuff Princess Ladybug mentioned.

I'm not a church person, but I'm sure serving is all about doing the best job you *can*, not taking on all the jobs and (because of the workload) eventually either doing them half-a$$ed, or burning out so that you can't do anything at all.

Easier said that done, of course.