Back in the Saddle

I've been home 10 days now, which is just hard to believe. Time is back to moving at its familiar fast pace again. I'll tell you guys, it is a real struggle to not get caught up in the culture of busyness here. Everything in Germany moves slower, just easing its way along. I loved that you know, I think it was good for my health and my psyche, and I don't want to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of city life again. I'm trying not to anyway, but it is such a challenge already. It's taking some serious intention on my part to not speed wherever I'm driving. I know that speeding makes little to no difference, but I do it so compulsively, so automatically anyway. Speed-walking around my office in hopes of getting one more thing done before that next meeting. Eating lunch at my desk while checking emails. Just trying to cram one. more. thing. into. this. already. full. day. It's never ending though. I'm a gerbil on a wheel. I am my own problem. If I can just be a little more efficient, just get a little more work done today, then I'll be caught up in time for time....but that's not true. It doesn't matter how much I do, there's more of it waiting for me tomorrow. It's no way to live, you guys. I know that, and yet I see myself doing it as if I'm an onlooker sitting in the corner watching this crazy woman unravel. 

Flying standby didn't pan out in the end. I tried to catch one of three outgoing flights from Frankfurt to the USA three days in a row to no avail. Each day I called, and each day all three flights were booked and even overbooked. In the end, Brad saved my life. He gave me the precious gift of home by cashing in some of his frequent flyer miles. Did you know that a last-minute flight from Frankfurt to Phoenix costs $4,200.00? I know right?! I thought it'd be expensive, but not *that* expensive you know. Thank you, Jesus, for Brad's generosity and his plethora of frequent flyer miles that allowed me to finally get home in time. 

It has been really good to be back at work. I love my job and I especially love my co-workers. They are some of the best people on the planet, and I get to work alongside them! We get to meet people's needs together, and it's so cool. I missed it a lot. With that being said, I am suuuuper busy. I have so much work to do it's not even funny, haha. But thankfully I didn't forget everything. I still know how to do this social work thing kind of. The paperwork, scheduling, and phone calls are a bit of an adjustment after spending the summer cooking, cleaning, and hanging out with people. It's a change in workload, that's for sure. 

Keep you guys posted on life and other such events. 

For whoever reads this thing.

Yours truly,

City Girl

Flight Status Update

Flights do not look good for today, Aug. 7th, either. I've started praying that after all of this, when I finally get on a plane, that it might be a first class seat waiting for me. Would you join me in this prayer? (hahaha!) ;)

All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go....

Well friends, we've come to the end of our adventure. The last week has been a bit of a whirlwind. I've been very busy helping folks clean their apartments, looking after their children as they pack their belongings, and giving rides to the train station and grocery store while still keeping the house open for it's normal weekly festivities. After Friday's Bible study, everyone went around the room and said some very kind things to me, said their goodbyes, and prayed for me. That's what we do around here, and we do it every time it's someone's "last Friday." I felt very blessed by this, and tried my best to really receive and soak in their kind words. I'm so grateful for this experience and for my new friendships. I could picture myself doing this full time. And shamelessly I will admit that it has increased or awakened a desire in me to be a homemaker. I just really enjoy caring for a home and having people over and the whole bit. Hospitality is a skill that I most certainly want to continue to improve and grow in. It's important that people feel welcomed, cared for, and loved. I want to meet those needs. Several of my friends will be stationed in Washington state, and I've already been invited up for a visit. Isn't that cool?

Brad and Debbie returned from their three-week trip to the USA on Saturday. Although they are laden with jet lag and claim exhaustion, they look grand to me! It has been good catching up and spending time with them. We had folks over on Sunday after chapel for a BBQ, a couple of games of volleyball, and some Olympic entertainment. It was a lot of fun! I am sad to leave the Festaburg hospitality house, but I am also excited and looking forward to being home again. I miss my friends and family very much, and I'm even feeling refreshed and ready to return to work. What a full time this has been, and yet, I'm ready to transition again.

Please pray that my flights may go smoothly on the way home as I am fly standby again. I was planning to fly out today, but just before leaving for the airport learned that all flights were booked full. I am told that tomorrow (Aug. 7th) looks much more promising, and so I am hopeful I will fly out this time around. But we'll see what happens. This standby gig is an adventure in and of itself, isn't it now?

Thank you all for your support. I could not have come here to serve and love like this without your words of encouragement, your prayers, and your financial giving. What a gift you are to me! Thank you for being a part of my world. COOL. Thanks you guys.

Much love,
Jess