As the World Turns...

As you can see I have not posted for quite awhile. As sometimes happens out in the boonies, our Internet was down for a few weeks. Luckily, we worked the bugs out and things are back and operational but I am actually not on the farm right now. I am sitting in a shopping mall in England drinking a very good latte and utilizing the free wireless in this coffee shop to get back on track. So, what has happened in the past few weeks? Well, quite a lot actually.
I am starting to realize that my new sleep schedule is finally starting to stick. I seem to wake up right before the alarm most days, and usually a few minuets before Jon when he comes back from working out. It is not to say that I couldn't continue sleeping if I chose to do that, just that my body is now on the side of P31 in allowing me the choice of getting out of bed or not. Also, many days I have wanted to get up, drink coffee, wait for Jon to leave, and then go back to bed. However, in practice I am always too awake and simply continue on with my day. Consequently, I have gotten so much more done and have been able to keep the main parts of the house at least clutter free if not semi-clean most of the time. If you do not know me well, then this may seem like a pretty easy feat but believe me, this is mostly the first time I can say this in my 27 years! I know, a pretty sad thing to have to admit. I would definitely say that in general I feel more productive or feel like being more productive each day which leads me to believe that my laziness was predicated in part to sleeping late. Also something I never thought in my life I would admit to.
So with all this new found time and energy I have been challenging myself to some new goals. I have begun working with our junior high youth group, which definitely requires increased energy, and joined our churches ladies bible study. It is an interesting dichotomy because I am actually taking the reigns in youth group to lead a study for the girls there on living a christian life and in contrast I am being led by another in the study. I think that this is very important though. I need to be constantly learning and growing in order to be effective as a youth sponsor, wife, friend, sister, daughter, and any other role I happen to be filling.
My first evening of junior high fun was certainly that. We played game after game that required intense stamina that I simply didn't possess and by the end of the night I felt like I could about drop. However, it was also exciting to see the kids who did come out enjoying youth group in a way that I did when I was younger. My church friends and youth group were everything to me at that age. I wanted to be at every event, study, ministry opportunity, pretty much anything that the youth group put on. It is invigorating but also sobering to know that I am now filling the role of many adults I once knew and will have a direct impact on the lives of these children. Their enthusiasm for life is infectious.
Bible study also started during the time of the Internet debacle. There seem to be about 8-10 women participating, many of whom I am not well acquainted. The book we are reading is called "Having a Mary Spirit" and is about the differences between Mary and Martha. The first chapter was a very emotional read for me because it highlighted exactly where I felt I have been at for the past year. Struggling with where I am at in life and feeling a necessary change. The uncertainty of where I am going forward is unnerving and it was very comforting to see that I am exactly where God wants to be. I know that I will be learning a great deal and growing through the study and accountability of these women.
Now, after all this you may be wondering why I am in England. I suppose that was a little rude to start off in such an out of character manner with no explanation at all. Well, I am traveling with my husband while he is on business for the next 2 weeks. We just arrived yesterday, and this morning I woke up and had a proper English breakfast with him before he left for the day. I have no plans to slack off while on holiday over here, P31 will be accompanying me on this trip!