Taking Tea: February 2010

It's been awhile, I know! The pace is definitely picking up around here! Which is a very funny thing to say in light of what I'm about to say ...

So, yesterday I taught my English class the idioms "calm down," "chill out," and "take a chill pill" (I start each lesson with an idiom or two just for fun!!)

Later, I started thinking about my own tendency to chill out. A strange thing has happened. I wish I could say that it's just that I've finally grown up and that with maturity comes the ability to hang loose and go with the flow. In all honesty, I must admit that if I were still in the U.S. I'd probably be as intense as ever.

I remember a season of my life when my journal entry actually included a commitment to God to embrace some new words in my everyday vocabulary (along with a begging of God for the necessary strength to fulfill the commitment). The new words were "Oh well" and "bummer." It was written during a time that I had massive responsibilities and in order to reach my goals I had to depend on many, many people for many, many of their own responsibilities. And because the group of people included some who were seemingly addicted to chill pills and did not understand the words "deadline" and "goal" I often reached a high frustration level. Therefore, with God's enabling, I began my journey into the land of the laid-back. It was a journey that involved many setbacks and many temporary returns to the land of intensity. But it was a journey that had some measure of success.

Can't you picture God just grinning at me way back then as He considered the reality that was yet unknown to me ... that I would, one day, be forced to embrace those words or risk permanent insanity!

And now it would seem that our years in Nigeria and in Indonesia have reformed me! At least somewhat ...

Here I am, in the middle of the afternoon, in a house-dress kind of thing that is not fit to be worn outside. I've stayed home all day, mainly watching the Olympics (26 gold medals for the U.S. is the current count!) ... plus reading, studying Bahasa Indonesian, having a massage, and now blogging.

If the ride I had hoped to arrange didn't work out ... I decide that I really didn't want to go out that badly anyway!

If I (or Lusy) couldn't get the necessary recipe ingredients ... I make something else.

If half of my students don't arrive to class ... I change my teaching plans.

If unexpected rains arrive ... I get a bit wet.

If the electricity goes out during the evening ... we already have the candles burning.

If the party hasn't started when we arrive an hour late ... we go back home and return to the party in two hours.

If we can't get the sport we wanted on TV ... we check out the internet.

If the internet isn't working ... we make a new plan.

If my mobile phone isn't working ... I'm thankful for the peace it brings.

If the oven doesn't get hot enough ... I just keep the pie in the oven an hour longer.

If the hot water goes out in the shower ... I just drip over to the other bathroom's shower (separate gas bottles and hot water heaters. no gauge on the gas bottles.)

If I have a couple of dirty plates from dinner ... I just leave them in the sink for Lusy to wash tomorrow. (I must admit, this one is STILL hard to handle 'cuz I HATE having dirty dishes left out!)

So, I still have my goals for the week and I still have my handy-dandy check list and I still make plans every morning. But I guess I don't hold that tightly to any expectations anymore. Or, better yet, I expect that nothing will go as planned and then my expectations are met or exceeded every time!!!!

For those of you who think your life has gotten a bit too intense for your own good and for the good of those around you ... I've got a great place for you to visit!!!