Have also been watching a really fascinating TV series called "Places that don't exist".
Three of the nations are in the sphere of the Former Soviet Union (including Trans-Dneister, Ossetia/Abkhazia/Ajara and Armenia/Azerbaijan).
Russia still has close involvement in each. Again, a very informative
series with a unique insight into different mindsets, the role of
conflict and the potential future direction of the FSU.
Monday 25 February 2013
Slow progress?
Ever find that time is moving on, that organisating things is perpetual and that little of substance is being achieved? It's been about 5 weeks since my trip to Germany. I seem to have been on-call often, with my sleep-wake cycle being sent into disarray. When opportunites come emails are sent, phone calls are made, answers are few... Progress with paperwork has been at times frustrating. It's also been four months since I was last in Eastern Europe. Masters studies have been squeezed into free time, however, each week seems to run into the next. Where has the time gone?
Where are things going, what am I achieving?
Stop. Reflect. Perspective check. I think I sometime struggle due to defining personal success (and thus to some degree self-worth) in terms of achievement and overt productivity. The outworkings of such a philosophy can be quite dangerous. If I 'fail' to achieve, does my worth diminish? Do patience, planning, contemplation and relationship building have no worth? Does God's love for me change depending on how 'productive' I am (or what I would personally deem as productive)?
Comforting to know however, is that God's plans will come to fruition regardless of my efforts. He has saved my be his grace, not through my own worth. Even if I were infirm and immobile, God's grace and love shown to me (and thus my worth in his eyes) would not change. Jesus' death and resurrection has made this certain. All work and service for Him should be as an outpouring of thanks, not as a definer of self-worth. The funny thing is, things seem to happen when you entrust the efforts to God. The results are often different to expected, yet more praiseworthy in hindsight. Afterall, he is creater and sustainer of all. Reflection makes it plain that it is far better this way - just need to be daily reminding myself of this!
So, planning and preparation over the last two months:
- Further discussion with the medical council of Saarland, list of required documents formalised
- Teaching schedule for the Eastern European Congress of Christian Medics provisionally written
- Key note speech offered to PRIME at said conference
- Provisional offer to teach medical communication skills at a medical school in Ukraine in May
- Potential for a further trip to Romania to teach medical communication skills to medical students later in the year
- Masters coursework on epidemiology (part one) completed [means a 1/6th of the course is done now!]
- Medical rota for next rotation finally obtained (many swaps will be required however...)
- Getting to know people better at church. Feeling that fellowship and being able to encourage others is improving as a result!
Lets see what the next few months hold!
Where are things going, what am I achieving?
Stop. Reflect. Perspective check. I think I sometime struggle due to defining personal success (and thus to some degree self-worth) in terms of achievement and overt productivity. The outworkings of such a philosophy can be quite dangerous. If I 'fail' to achieve, does my worth diminish? Do patience, planning, contemplation and relationship building have no worth? Does God's love for me change depending on how 'productive' I am (or what I would personally deem as productive)?
Comforting to know however, is that God's plans will come to fruition regardless of my efforts. He has saved my be his grace, not through my own worth. Even if I were infirm and immobile, God's grace and love shown to me (and thus my worth in his eyes) would not change. Jesus' death and resurrection has made this certain. All work and service for Him should be as an outpouring of thanks, not as a definer of self-worth. The funny thing is, things seem to happen when you entrust the efforts to God. The results are often different to expected, yet more praiseworthy in hindsight. Afterall, he is creater and sustainer of all. Reflection makes it plain that it is far better this way - just need to be daily reminding myself of this!
So, planning and preparation over the last two months:
- Further discussion with the medical council of Saarland, list of required documents formalised
- Teaching schedule for the Eastern European Congress of Christian Medics provisionally written
- Key note speech offered to PRIME at said conference
- Provisional offer to teach medical communication skills at a medical school in Ukraine in May
- Potential for a further trip to Romania to teach medical communication skills to medical students later in the year
- Masters coursework on epidemiology (part one) completed [means a 1/6th of the course is done now!]
- Medical rota for next rotation finally obtained (many swaps will be required however...)
- Getting to know people better at church. Feeling that fellowship and being able to encourage others is improving as a result!
Lets see what the next few months hold!
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