October.... already?!?!

Today is October 1st.  I can't believe it's here already.  I realize that the season of Fall comes in September, but to me, Fall happens in October.  That's when the leaves will change, the cooler air will begin to blow, and it will be harvest time.

Fall Tree in my neighborhood.  Picture taken 10/13/10

But, I'm rushing the month a little too much by getting so quickly to harvest time.  Yet, I have to.  For me, October is in essence, a two-week month.  This is because I will be gone from home the last two weeks of the month.  Granted, I'll be gone for good reasons and I'll be learning and growing.  However, I have to make arrangements for those at home whom I leave behind, my work load needs to be dealt with, AND there is always homework, specifically Greek.  As you can see, the coming of October brings on some stress for me.  ☺

I am enjoying learning Greek.  However, my brain is having a difficult time keeping up with it.  There is SO much to learn.  So much more than a romance language.  Take nouns for example.  With Spanish and French, all you need to know is gender, whether the nouns are masculine or feminine.  There are some neuter nouns, but not many.  Is Greek that simples?  Unfortunately, no!  You need to determine the case (nominative, genitive, dative, accusative, vocatvive--if you go with the 5 list) and know the endings for the singular and plural.  Whew!  This is on top of learning the endings for the verb conjugations.  So, to every student I taught in the 24 years of teaching, I am on the other side of language learning once again.  Be justified!  All the hard work I put you through, I am going through it now!!  ☺

So, Greek takes lots of brain power.  And for some reason, my brain is just not keeping the brain power these last few weeks.  A friend at TaeKwonDo this morning suggested that my brain is on overload.  I would have to agree.

Between my two classes, my part-time job, being a mom and a stepmom (which has been slightly busy this past week or two with my stepson), trying to keep up with the house, exercise, and teaching a great group of folks in an online Lay Speaking Class, life has been busy! Did I miss anything?  Oh, yeah!  Self-care and soul-care!  Whew!  It's a little crazy. 

The TaeKwonDo is both exercise for self-care and soul-care!  I am preparing to test for my decided black belt next week.  This has been a long journey.  More on that in another post.

The weather these past several days has been incredible!  Nice cool breezes, sunshine.  Perfect for getting outdoors!  However, I've not been able to hit a hiking trail yet, but I will.  I do get outside for a little studying and reading though.  It helps clear my mind simply to be outside.

In preparation for the last week of October, I still have some reading to do (yes, I'm admitting that!).  The third week of October is a Mission Conference in Ohio.  I can read and study while there.  Greek quizzes and mid-terms span the month of October, so there is some pressure there.

Work-wise, there is a Mission Fair to finalize-- with a few booths for which I need to pull some things together--but others are in line to do their part.  I am also pulling together some things for a Communion ministry, and then there is a November/December class coming down the road quickly.  These are work and class related, primarily class related.

As I've jumped deeper into ministry this semester, I'm trying to keep the focus of self-care and keeping myself at a place where I am healthy (emotionally, physically, spiritually, and relationally) to serve.  However, even with help from others, I can see how quickly one can be drained.  And, I am a decent "boundary" person.  I can say "no".  I know my limits.  Yet, how do you not "do" when you need to study?

I'm at a place where I yearn to simply "Be still, and know that I am God."  Is this just a season, an ebb and flow of time where things are just hitting at once?  I hope so. 

I desire to set an example for others that isn't a wildly-driven servant of God, but one that acts upon the leadings of Christ, one that listens and obeys, one that can be still enough to listen. 

As I open us Jesus Calling to see what it says for today, the key verse for October is this:  "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."  ~Matthew 11:28

The first paragraph of the devotion for October 1 reads: "Worship Me only.  I am King of kings and Lord of lords, dwelling in unapproachable Light.  I am taking care of you!  I am not only committed to caring for you, but I am also absolutely capable of doing so.  Rest in Me, My weary one, for this is a form of worship." (Sarah Young, p. 288)

It's amazing to me how right-on, how appropriate, how fitting, how timely these devotions can be. 

Taking these words to heart, I will rest.  I will worship by resting.  I will worship by studying Greek.  I will worship by getting outside to do both. 

Ah!  October!  The month of changing leaves and blowing breezes!

If you have found yourself to be overworked like me,  may the blowing breezes of the Holy Spirit blow through your life and fill your weary soul with rest!

Blessings on the journey!

~Debra

P.S.  I tried to post a video so you could experience the gentle (and not so gentle) breezes that we're having today.  But, it kept having problems loading, though it was short.  I pieced only 4 clips together for a total of 2:36 (2 minutes and 36 seconds).   You would see and hear the wind, see the cloud formations moving (one looks like a check mark) and you will see and hear my wind chimes).  There are extraneous nature (bird) and human sounds (car, motorcycle, me trying to click on the zoom, my husband in the kitchen).  I'm not much of a videographer, I'm better with still pictures.  But, a still picture doesn't express wind.   And, it is in experiencing the wind that we can understand.  dd