Pacing ourselves these last 10 months has consisted mostly of spreading out our weekend deputation appointments. Then whatever else came along got either fitted in between those appointments or it didn't get on the calendar. Now we are faced with more people-to-catch-up-with than speaking appointments. People-to-catch-up-with are easier to over schedule. Last Monday you read what happens when we do!
I'm an extrovert, but one that not only craves social time with others, but also deep conversation. That is wearing - especially when you are catching up with people you haven't seen for five years and they ask "good questions" about what you've been doing while you've been out of the country. With the additional emotional burden of knowing that this is probably 'goodbye' for the next four or five years too. It is additionally wearing as I'm dragging a family of five around with me! Granted, this is David's job too, but I'm the more outgoing, so end up answering more questions than him.
So, I now am scheduling-challenged. How much can we manage and how often? This is a hard call when you are planning several weeks in advance. And now we have a deadline too.
Hi Wendy,
ReplyDeletethis is reminding me that people often see "home assignment" as having a break from "work", but it seems as if you've been working harder than ever.
Home assignment is a holiday in a little bit of a way - in that it is a mental break from living in a somewhat alien culture. But the other side of it is definitely no break. That is why our mission changed it from the restful sounding 'furlough' to 'home assignment'- hopefully insinuating that we were still working, just 'at home'. Actually we could be sent back on home assignment early if our $ support doesn't increase over the next 18 months!
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