...I feel like it got away from me. I had requested to not be scheduled to work at my 'real' job, in order to have it free to donate my time to working behind the scenes at a Christian retreat up in Harris County. I try to make myself available each spring and fall when these events are planned, and have been doing it for a number of years. The area I volunteer in is not labor intensive, and not even particularly time consuming. But due to being there, I don't get anything done here at home.
It is always a neat experience, to go and devote the time to making the weekend run smoothly, be a small cog in the running of a machine that requires dozens of people doing their part to make it appear to be effortless. The people who are attending, spend much time in study, listening to speakers, eating well and often - with every need and necessity provided for from Thursday evening through Sunday afternoon. They are always very moved, when, at the end of the event, after they are served lunch on the last day, the 'behind the scenes' people who have devotedly done the cooking, cleaning, set up and assorted preparations through out the time, seem to magically appear. Letting them see the faces of all the previously 'invisible' folks who put in the legwork to make the weekend so meaningful.
Most of those worker bees pack to go and stay for the weekend in a staff dorm. I drive back and forth. Only about a thirty minute drive: but done in the dark, both ways - leaving before daylight and returning home well after dark. I know I would not sleep well in a room full of noisy women, getting up all night long, letting the bathroom door bang shut. So though I loose an hour driving to-and-fro, I think my sleeping will be of a better quality, more restful than what would (not) happen if I were to stay up there in the woods the entire weekend.
Got home Sunday night and fell into bed, wore down to a nubbin. Knowing I would get up and drive to Valdosta and back on Monday. Due to having to go to work today. Feeling sort of jet-lagged.... I am glad I could make myself available for the Emmaus walk over the weekend, but it will probably take me a week or so to get fully caught up on home chores as well as sleep!
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