There's no SHOCK in culture-shock...

Today has been an interesting one. From what I hear, there's all kinds of culture shock. The amusing thing about it to me is how some people think it won't happen to them. Like me. Now, I'm not experiencing extreme depression or anything like that. But I've been wrestling with some very important questions concerning who I am who God is. It's far to complicated to put into words; even with verbal inflexion I find it hard to express myself on this topic. God is it though . . . I find nothing else. What do these questions that linger at the forefront of my mind mean if God isn't a part of the answer in some way? In my opinion . . . nothing!

Allow me to tell you all about what's been happening recently. Well, yesterday Neysia, Sasha, Mike and I went to Sancor High School in Galvendale to see if we could volunteer. Reginald Jacobson is the principal and he's also a very dear member of the body that assembles at Fairview. Previously stated, this is where Mike, Neysia, Sasha, Carolyne, and I now attend regularly. When we walked through the gate the lights were off. A black out. They happen fairly often here. No big deal, we just sat in Reginald's office and talked about our potential and what we had in mind for assisting the school. One thing mentioned was in class tutoring. Much like a "TA system" (teacher's assistant). Now we're committed to two days a week. Mike and I are going Tuesday and Wednesdays (sports practice is on Tuesday and competition on Wednesday). Here's the doozy. Neysia and Sasha are TAing English. Mike and I are TAing mathematics. This entails the high school range of algebra through physics. Mind you, we've only been out of school for a year, but my mind is reeling for remembrance already. Right now algebra and trigonometry is being taught. Hyperbolas and compound angles. Lots of funny curves and formulas. Truthfully, I'm very excited and intimidated. I haven't only thought about math recently in the sense that I wish I did it more. And now God has decided to let me help teach 'peers' what I just learned. So, with the three textbooks Mrs. Bruce gave us we're going to review and get back to math. Pray for us.

The last two nights we've been hosting Matthew Martin in our cottage. He's Stuart and Cecilia Jones' grandson from York, NE. They're from Lubbock, TX and work with the Senior AIM program in the school. Very cool people. They lived in South Africa from 1966-1982. Their stories and time difference has allowed them to see drastic changes in the country. Back to Matt, since he got here we decided we would have a Risk night. I had never played before two evenings ago. 8:30 p.m. and we set up the board. I placed my armies in Europe for the first game. The ONLY game of that night. I held Europe strongly throughout the game and waited for everyone else to pick away at each other. Let it be known, the first time I ever played Risk I won! It was so very fun and epic. Last night we played again. The fatigue was so extreme that I eventually just spread myself out for the taking and lost. It was entertaining to play with four other guys though. Matthew, Mike, Johnathan, Logan and I. Tonight Mike is over at their place playing and Matthew left to return to Cape Town with his grandparents and mother before departing on Monday for the states. For all of you who like to play board games, remind me next time we cross paths and we shall play Risk. Or Star Wars Epic Duels. Another ridiculously fun game!

But this morning started off weird, and that's where the title to this post comes from. I woke up to an extreme Risk hangover and drove Matthew over to Ken and Judy's place so he could rally with the family and hit the road. At half past eight I returned to the cottage and was about to go back to bed, because of the stress and questions on my mind (I've been tired and a little messed up the last couple days), and someone knocks on the door. It was the maid. Here's how we got a maid. Patricia (the maid who did the Summerstrand house that we stayed at upon arrival in the country) has a sister-in-law in the cleaning business as well and she's not very far from where we live. So Mike and I decided we would 'hire' her. It's cultural. I say this as a disclaimer so people don't think we're living too high off the hog and splurging. It creates jobs... (see later paragraph (~*)). So I showed her in and around the cottage and got out the cleaning supplies for her after settling on a fair wage and schedule. She will now be coming every Thursday morning around 8 for R120 a week. This covers her cab fare and services. So, the half-expected meeting went well and we established everything. She jumped right in and started doing what she does. I went into my room and fell back asleep with this added thought checked in my mind, after reading a little. Awakened by a phone call I realize it's past noon and we have office work today at 1. Off Mike and I go, getting ready for the day and making calls. Mike took a shower, I just rolled out and went-a difference in approach to the day. We took off and got Johnathan from across PE and headed back to Ken and Judy's. I started printing and was making good progress when Joey, Lindsay, and some other cool peeps showed up to pick up "the kids" (Joey and Carolyne are watching the children of a head teacher at their small school for the week while she's away at a funeral) from Carolyne. Carolyne shows up and they swap and we press on with the printing. A little while later I realize that I've printed 600 pages with pg. 80 on one side and pg. 82 on the other. I skipped pg. 81. Well this just about set me off. That's a mistake that costs and today was not a good day to make a blunder like that one. But I did and things began to engulf me. After we finished everything Mike and Johnathan went to play Risk and I went to go paint at the school. Turns out the putty that was on the cupboard we were planning on priming was still soft. Therefore we couldn't sand and prime, wasted petrol.
This is where I tell you something about me that hasn't happened in a long time . . .

I cried. And I needed to. We all need some release at some point. I'm an inward person when it comes to certain emotions, but this had to come out. God used it to soften me just that much more, as well. If we didn't feel, what would be the point? But feel for others, not just yourself and you're living as He would have. Someone said recently that we spend a large portion of our lives trying to fight what we feel. Trying not to be sad, not to be mad, not to be too happy in a somber situation. We shouldn't have to though. Let it all go. Be what you are, when you are, where you are . . . in the appropriate way. Approach things sensibly. We feel because we love...

On the way home I was talking about how I'm not sure exactly who I am. Values, characteristics, God . . . and it hit me. All of the relational issues that have come up recently can be traced back to me. And yet, it's not always my fault. I find it easy to get on myself about things that should change. I expect immediate results and we live in time. Things take time. Patience - God's working on me. As I awkwardly sat there thinking about God, my friends, my faults, and this purpose driven life I'm living, a famous quote came to mind. It may not be famous to all, but for me it means a lot. Victor said it the first time he preached in chapel in Lubbock. Before we even thought about being on a team together.

"I'm sick of giving God my mediocrity."
- Victor A. Howard II

That hit deep. I needed it to though. And God used Victor to help me realize some things. My eyes are dry and sore now, but after reading some of the notes given to me by the AIM Assistants and Kris and Pat, I feel better. A new favorite for me is Psalm 13. Please read it... for your sake.

"Love is all we need. . . " - "God is love . . . "
All I need is God. All YOU need is God. Cherish the given...

Keep Christ King
I sign off with this on every note I write. It's an important reminder to me as to why I'm where I'm at and what I'm doing about it right now. Lord, King, Savior, Teacher, Brother, Friend...