Your Wednesday Challenge

Your challenge this week is to TAKE IT EASY! Relax! Be flexible! Care more about relationships instead of time! In fact, this week, take your watch off your wrist and instead of watching the clock, spend a little time with the people around you--really being there instead of worried about the schedule of the day.

Now, I know that this is a really challenging Wednesday challenge, but here in Africa, everything runs with a little more laid back feel. Most people are NEVER on time, many take siestas during work hours, stroll instead of speed walk, and spend a lot of time sitting around chatting around the cooking fire or over a plate of food.

Here are some common ways that I spend my flexible schedule.
1) I wake up pretty early in the morning (around 5:30 am) and spend a few minutes just staring out the window and my amazing African landscape view. Then, I spend some time reading my Bible and journaling. By 7 am, I'm dressed and out the door to get some breakfast. I spend some time relaxing in the morning sun (by that time, it's usually creeping close to 90 degrees already) and eating my bread and drinking my tea.

2) When we lived in Tema, Stacy and the kids and I and occasionally John, would go for a walk several times a week. The walk to town is a little longer now, but Stacy and I walked into Doryum tonight. Only problem was when we were headed back, there aren't any street lights and we hit a bit of muddy road, but all in a night's walk, right? Spend some time walking with a friend this week. Night walks are beautiful and they're the perfect time for good conversations.

3)Usually once a week, something will come up where a teacher has to leave early or I have to leave early from school. We just cover the other person's class and off they go. Easy as 1, 2, 3. And speaking of school time (sorry for those of you who aren't teachers, just ignore this part), even school hours are pretty loosy goosy this year. Our break is supposed to be 15 minutes, but if all the kids haven't used the toilet, then, it's a little longer, or if the teacher's haven't finished up a conversation, then that's finished before the kids come in. And lunch, it can be up to 30 minutes late, so if that's the case, the whole schedule is pushed back a bit.

So, my advice. . .wake up early this week and spend some time with your eye pod, a good view of the outdoors and your journal. Go for a walk with friends. Take off your watch and really listen to the people around you.

Good luck!