Preventing the Great Meltdown

I realized how close I actually was to the meltdown when I wrote my last post. Chapel on tuesday was God sent. Colleen talked to us about depression/stress/anxiety which was really helpful because it made me realize that I was drawing ever closer to extinguishing my pin point of light.

So to the prevention part...I can only give suggestions although I have tried all of them in the past and they have worked to one degree or another.

The first thing that I recommend is that you admit to yourself that you have a problem. It helps to say it out loud even if it is just to yourself. Corny I know but just try it, say, "self you have a problem with..."
You can fill in the rest as best fits your situation. Procrastination, anxiety, depression, some sin, whatever it doesn't matter just make sure that you say it out loud.

The next thing that I would do is admit to God and ask him to help. I know that he already knows but in actually admitting it we are putting ourselves in a position of humility and that is the place where God can work the best in our hearts and lives because it is when we realize and admit that we cannot do it on our own that we are open to help.

Thirdly I would tell someone that you trust. It is beneficial to tell someone that can help you as well. Telling a friend is good don't get me wrong but telling someone who could help you deal with your issue or point you in the right direction is something that I highly recommend. Someone like a prof or parent or your pastor.

Lastly I would recommend that you have someone that you can be accountable to. You could even be accountable to certain people for specific things. If you are struggling with homework and assignments you could be accountable to your prof. If it is extracurricular things then who ever is in charge could help you.

There is one proviso... you actually have to do these things... DON'T PROCRASTINATE!!!
I am now going to take my own advise and then get some sleep.

The Great Meltdown

You are sitting there on the couch watching TV, your program ends so you turn off your old RCA. The room is dark and all you can see is the light that is in the middle of the screen. It starts out bright but as the seconds flick by the circle of light begins to fade and decrease in size until it is nothing but a pin point of light. And then it happens...the light goes out...meltdown is complete.

I'm not usually sitting on the couch but running around with a list as long as my left arm (it's longer than my right) trying to get everything done yet maintain balance in my life. It always starts out with just a few things and then other exciting, challenging things come along and I add them to the list and before I know it I have deadlines to meet, promises to fulfill, responsibilities to follow through on and my own expectations for myself looming all around me. I try so hard to "keep it together" and then when I fail or get behind the pressure increases and things get forgotten or misplaced and the light before me begins to get smaller and not as bright.

I struggle to keep my head above water but the vicious cycle has gone too far it would seem and my pin point of light is about to be extinguished.

The Important Things

I realized this weekend that my family is very important to me. I took this weekend off to go with my parents (whom I hardly ever see) to visit my Grandparents in Grenfell and Moosomin, SK. I also was able to visit with cousins, aunt's and uncles. In light of all the things that I have to do before this semester is finished some might think that it was a foolish desicion. I have assignments, school events, exams, preparations for my internship and moving to find time for and with the Christmas season coming on top of that, I realized that sometimes time spent with loved ones is far more important. I'm not saying that these things are not important, they just have different priority. I have less time to do everything else but what I have gained in building of relationships that are important to me outweighs the time lost to study and other things.
This made me think about my relationship with God. Do I really view it as a "relationship"? I want to spend time with those that I love and if I really love Him then I should desire to spend time in prayer and reading the Word so that I can build on my relationship with Him. I think that I need to reevaluate the importance that I put on building my relationship with him.
There are times and seasons for everything. I hope that you take time to evaluate what is important to you on a regular basis. Some things will never leave the priority list (time spent with God) but circumstances in life change and sometimes that shifts our priorities.

Hey Dr. K and the Nerds on the Net

Hi friends!
Mr. Kadyschuk told me that he was going to show you my blog so I thought that I should say hi to you all. Having a blog is fun and easy and is FREE! I suggest that you check it out at blogger.com
Just so you know I am not insulting the Tech for Min class by calling you nerds. That was the name we gave the class last year when I took it! It was one of my favorite classes...serious.
Have a good one.

I've Got Wings

I've finally booked my flight to Sri Lanka and I will be leaving Saskatoon on January 27, 2005. I will be flying out of Canada from Vancouver -> Soeul -> Singapore -> Columbo. Columbo is the capital of Sri Lanka. Once I'm there I will have an approx 7 hour bus ride up the mountain to Nuwara Eliya. That sounds like fun. My flight from Vancouver to Singapore is about 18 hours!! I hope there is decent leg room!
I am finally getting excited about going on my internship. I still have a lot of work to do in preparation and also in finishing school for the semester; assignments and finals, Christmas Banquet, Community Outreach, Student Council...it seems like it might never end.
Oh Ya. I also have to pack my house and be moved out by Dec 17th because I am going home for Christmas on the 18th and I'm flying!

Not Quite There

Hi friends,
I haven't left for Sri Lanka quite yet. I leave near the end of January after I am done my modular classes for the semester. While in Sri Lanka I will be living in Nuwara Eliya which is a small town up in the mountains. The school where I will be teaching is called Beacon Hill Academy. If you want more info on the school or SAEF (Schools for Asia Educational Foundation) you can go to saef.net. I am staying with Matt and Rebecca Baker who are the project managers for Beacon Hill and are also very good friends of mine.