What did you do this week??

For some reason, the question of, "What did you do this week?" puts me on the defensive. It shouldn't, but it does. Ever since returning to the States, I get asked this question a lot. I can have a completely crazy travel schedule, but as soon as I return home and have a more relaxed week....the question returns. Because I'm not living overseas where no one is thinking about my schedule because they're not there to see me. And I'm not working the typical American 40+ hour work week. And I'm doing stuff that's hard to comprehend. I'll be honest and tell you that the idea of the 40 hour work week means very little to me. As a former musician I had a similar schedule to what I have now. Some weeks I would work 30 hours teaching, and other weeks I would work 50+ hours teaching and playing. I would get through the rough times and then return to my easier times, but doing my best all along the way. So the schedule that I have now doesn't faze me. I may go like crazy for 2-6 weeks at a time; traveling, fellowshipping, expending all of my energy....and then I return to home base and have to have down time. And I've learned that however long I was gone, I need about half that time to recover. Now I don't mean not doing anything, I just need quieter time without travel and a crazy schedule. Sometimes I get what I need- sometimes I don't. Here's the thing. When I'm home, what I "do" varies from week to week, but here are the basics:

1)I ride for about one hour and forty minutes daily, if the weather permits. It's a privilege, and one I've come to understand is important to my overall well-being. I don't take it for granted, and I don't see it as a waste of time that I could be using for ministry. My well being is super important to my being able to care for others
2)I Skype with staff. That varies from week to week, anywhere from 2 hours to 10 hours weekly, and anytime from 6am to 11pm, depending on their needs.
3)I keep up with e-mail correspondence with staff
4)I pray for them daily
5)I edit their newsletters(again, there are busy times with this and non-busy times)
6)I read books, which are helping to equip me to serve better
7)I have my own quiet time with God. Again, I can only serve out of my own overflow
8)I plan the next trip(that in itself can take ample time, as getting nationals to commit to dates can be a challenge)
9)I am active in my local church body and am a youth leader
10)I am active in my city, by serving through mentoring a little girl weekly and spending time outside of mentoring with her
**#'s 1,9, & 10 are also important b/c they help me to be fully here when I'm here, so that I don't stay disconnected emotionally when I return from a lot of traveling.

And here's what I've been working on for the last couple of weeks:

It's the Arts & Crafts portion of my ministry. =-)

This is my third year making cards to welcome all of the ladies at IM's annual Staff Conference. I started doing it just for the IM staff women, but now do it for every female attendee who is a teen or older, which has me making about 100 cards each time. I also make cards for the home office staff and the staff and students in MT who don't attend the conference. This year I decided to do picture cards from some of the countries where IM serves: US, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Slovakia, and Ukraine. We serve in many more countries than that, but I've not been there and don't have pictures. The idea is to give ladies a visual reminder to pray for their colleagues in other countries. On the back I write an encouraging verse and a note welcoming them to the conference. 100 cards takes a long time to make. Last year I had the teen girls at church help, but this year I've done them on my own. It may not be "typical" ministry, but it's one I enjoy doing, and it's been neat to see the cards in people's Bibles a year or two later, or in their homes when I've gone to visit. It's a return blessing to me, knowing that it was an encouragement to them.

I shouldn't get defensive about the question of what I did the past week, because I'm thankful and extremely blessed to be able to do what I do; from listening to e-mailing, praying for or with someone, sending a note of encouragement to someone in the home office(they need encouragement,too),  reading and writing, editing or helping with a budget, planning the next trip or getting back from the current one, or even cardmaking!...I'm thankful to have the privilege to do what I do each and every week.