One year ago today I returned home from a trip that changed the way I approach life - it is the reason why I am currently working five different jobs and feel completely at ease.
It has taken me quite awhile to figure out what exactly I learned from my time spent at the Swiss L'Abri last year, and I only figured it out when I realized that I am not reacting in the same way to times in my life when my schedule is consistently full. I have a tendency to have a lot of things on my plate at one time, and it used to be that, because of that, I was almost constantly in a state of stress and anxiety of some level. This has not completely gone away and sometimes I do get overwhelmed, but recently I was out on a coffee date with a friend and realized that although I am currently working five different jobs, I do not feel overwhelmed or stressed out by it at all.
For those of you wondering how I am holding that many jobs at once, let me give you the short list: Rock the Valley, my practicum at Menno Place, the House of James coffee shop, teaching piano lessons at Creative Edge School of Arts, and my new job with the African Children's Choir. After this week, I will be down to three, and once I get back from my trip to New Zealand, it will be down to just two.
My old self would have gotten scared by this and been anxious about how I would find time for other things, but I have been blessed with a new job that is being amazingly accommodating with my current schedule until I have worked through the end of the majority of my positions, and that coupled with my L'Abri learnings means that I am able to take this day by day and look towards the end goal and the reward of a three week trip to New Zealand for a dear friend's wedding.
The Swiss L'Abri teaches through example a life balance between form and freedom - that is, schedules/work and Sabbath/resting times. This is something that I had never truly experienced before then and that I knew I wanted to instil in my everyday life, but I wasn't quite sure how. But who knew that I would be learning to do that without even thinking about it? Over time, I have grown to be able to look at a busy schedule as a life full of opportunities and blessings, and for that, I give my Lord, and his work in me through L'Abri, full credit.
For those of you wondering how I am holding that many jobs at once, let me give you the short list: Rock the Valley, my practicum at Menno Place, the House of James coffee shop, teaching piano lessons at Creative Edge School of Arts, and my new job with the African Children's Choir. After this week, I will be down to three, and once I get back from my trip to New Zealand, it will be down to just two.
My old self would have gotten scared by this and been anxious about how I would find time for other things, but I have been blessed with a new job that is being amazingly accommodating with my current schedule until I have worked through the end of the majority of my positions, and that coupled with my L'Abri learnings means that I am able to take this day by day and look towards the end goal and the reward of a three week trip to New Zealand for a dear friend's wedding.
The Swiss L'Abri teaches through example a life balance between form and freedom - that is, schedules/work and Sabbath/resting times. This is something that I had never truly experienced before then and that I knew I wanted to instil in my everyday life, but I wasn't quite sure how. But who knew that I would be learning to do that without even thinking about it? Over time, I have grown to be able to look at a busy schedule as a life full of opportunities and blessings, and for that, I give my Lord, and his work in me through L'Abri, full credit.
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28