Life Update

I refuse to even acknowledge how long it's been since I've written last. Time runs away from me like its pants are on fire. And don't even get me started on where I should go to scrape up enough energy to write. Sigh. I'm a blogging failure. 

I like that I totally disregarded my first sentence. 

I'm am lying on the guest bed at my friend's house right now. She banged her head in the wee hours of the morning (a couple of days ago) and has an awesome purple-y black eye and a concussion to go along with it. After several days of serious pain, she decided it was time to have it looked at. So, I spent most of the day at a Chinese hospital, where a truly gracious nurse whisked us in and out of several different dilapidated testing rooms to eventually be sent home with a promise of results of the CT scan tomorrow. It was quite the experience. I actually got to go into the CT room and stand with my friend to comfort her while they did the scan. She asked me to talk to her while they were doing it. Well, who can just start talking about something on command? So, I decided to sing "His Eye Is On The Sparrow" instead. It was one of those only-in-China moments. Standing in a semi-scary hospital room, wearing my special x-ray shirt, singing a hymn while a friend got her brain examined. 

It's been really nice to take care of someone today. I love to take care of people, to help, to fix, to solve. However, because this community is so chocked full of people who feel the same way, I tend to step aside and allow others to do it...'too many cooks in the kitchen' sort of thing. It was nice to be needed today. The last few weeks have been so focused on my job...I'm just tired of it. It was lovely to have to focus on someone else, to be able to serve. I was just praying/thinking this week that I needed an opportunity to get outside of my own little world to help someone...

What have I been doing that's been so all-consuming, you ask? Sigh. From May to February every year, I work on putting together a conference for my job. I've explained it all to you before, right here.  This year  (March 1-3) was the biggest conference we've hosted thus far. We had 25 schools (about 380 students and teachers) from all over Asia in attendance. I wear many hats during the planning period and the actual conference- organizer, director, teacher, task delegator, budget manager, bus and hotel planner, leadership team over-seer, crises manager, hostess, and head of PR. It is an overwhelming job. But this year was really fulfilling. My student leaders and admin staff (go-fers) took ownership of the conference and did an outstanding job. They were committed and respectful and knowledgeable and hard-working. They were everything a teacher would want them to be. I really couldn't have been prouder. It was one of those years-of-hard-work-with-these-kids-and-it's-finally-coming-to-fruition moments.

Let's see...besides the conference and the concussed friend, I have a few other things to tell you.

• I've decided to stay with my job for one more year. I'm still praying about where God wants me next. 
• Practice for the big community play is underway. You all in America should feel sorry that you'll be missing my stellar dance moves for this play. Stellar.
• I am staying in Qingdao for Spring Break. I'm hoping to do some community work or something. I just want to be productive and helpful.
• I have no idea what I'm doing during my three weeks off this summer. I thought I had a plan but now no longer do. Praying for clarity.
• I should SO have more to tell you than this. I mean, it's been two months! 
• Hm...
• I think I'm teaching a different class next year. With all my traveling and conference stuff, it makes it difficult to teach other subjects. I'm looking forward to a little change.
• I have completely given up guitar and Chinese for now. Hopefully, both will be picked back up soon now that my life is calmer.
• I've been reading a book about poverty. Probably going to be making some changes. I'm just not sure what yet. Oh and I've been watching "The Elephant Room". Interesting. Irritating. Thought provoking.
•  I am participating in March Maddness. No, I know nothing about college basketball. It's just fun to play with the guys I work with.
• I'm going to have to do another post focusing on what God's doing in my life, what I'm learning, what I'm thinking about. I'm too tired to do it now.

Okay, I feel like the list is sufficiently long, even if it is insufficiently 'deep'. And I must get off of here. I have a long night ahead of me, filled with wake-up calls every two hours to check on the concussed friend. Yay.