My really awesome weekend

"Sounded like you were having a fun English lesson," Hannah commented on our way home from my student's house. I figured she was referring to the level of giggles she overheard for most of an hour. "Oh, it's fun alright, trying to explain the purpose of the English future-perfect-progressive tense... Do you realize how confusing it is when we use a future reference point to talk about an event that hasn't happened yet but will happen at some point and will continue on to another point in the future and then stop so that it will be in the past for an even further future point?!" Poor Hannah replied, "Well, when you put it that way, it doesn't sound as fun..."

I felt bad for snapping at my kindred spirit friend, and for complaining about grammar nuances, a topic I really do enjoy. But by that point, on Friday evening at 5:30, I realized I'd spent 18 hours this week trying to explain grammar, and it was starting to annoy me. I felt stressed and overwhelmed, and needed a break - a really good break, without lesson plans or short simple sentences or reasons why we talk the way we do. And Thanksgiving break was still three days away... how could God redeem and bless those three days?

Friday night, Hannah and I attended a four-course banquet for local Christian arts programs. During each course, the programs would give a sample of what they do - dancing, singing, acting, and mime-ing. It was really quite enjoyable - the food was delicious and the performances were very well-done. And I love local community stuff, so it was fun to see what sort of things Fort Wayne has to offer.

Saturday, some of the youth night boys came over and raked my yard at Little Burma. They were so wonderful - they worked hard and had a terrific attitude! The best part was that they came in our house when they were finished, sat around our table with us, and enjoyed dessert and hot chocolate. They were really fun to hang out with, and we got to know them a little more personally, which totally made my day.

That night, we got to go to church as Gospel Community, which I really love. The message was powerful and challenging and encouraging, and just exactly what I needed. And afterward, we got to talk for about an hour with several great people who are becoming new friends.

Today we attended Restoration Church, a predominantly African church that does awesome worship. After a service that was truly an act of thanksgiving to God, we stayed and had a big lunch with our African friends. There were brand new babies to hold, six kinds of rice to eat, and plenty of French phrases to mimic! Love and blessings abound and overflow when we are with our international friends.

I've gotta go now to pack, because the best is yet to come - tomorrow a roadtrip to North Carolina and a week with my family!!