I think age must be catching up. I don't think I can do what I used to do some years ago. The running around in the pass few days has taken a toll on me and caused a raised blood pressure reading just now!
Let's recap what I had been doing in the pass few days:
On Thursday morning, I led chapel in the seminary, and at night, taught a class on the Gospel of Mark to a group of students who signed up for the course through Church Based Theological Education (CBTE). Stress was building up....
On Friday, I worked in the church office the whole day, taking my lunch time off to drop my parents at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport for their flight to Kota Bharu. Then I rushed to Bandar Kinrara for my 8pm class where I was invited by Pearlie to do a 5-week bible studies series at her church, Life Methodist Church Puchong. I was late because of the horrendous traffic along the highway. Even more stress now....
On Saturday, again, I taught from 9am-5.30pm for CBTE. Then at 9.20pm, I was supposed to take a flight from Subang to Kota Bharu and join my parents there (We were planning to hand over my parents' house in Kota Bharu to the new purchaser). The flight was delayed to 11pm, and I only arrived Kota Bharu at midnight. Further stress...
On Sunday, I was busy the whole day, clearing and throwing away most of our unwanted personal stuff from my parents' house. It was not until almost midnight that I rested.
This morning at about 8am, I received an SMS from the airline, FireFly, that my scheduled flight from Kota Bharu at 10.40pm was "retimed" (nice alternative word to use for flight delay) to 12.25am! If I were to take this flight, it would mean that I can only arrive Subang at 1.30am - provided there will be no further 'retiming"- and by the time I reach home, it would be way pass 2am. There would be no way i could wake up at 6am to drive to the seminary in time for the 8am chapel. So I decided to change to an earlier flight at 12.40pm. That means it only gave me 3 hours to pack the rest of our stuff and run some errands for my parents in Kota Bharu. Even further stress....
Well, I made it to the airport, just in time to check in, catch my flight to KL and take a deep breath.
No wonder by the time I got home at about 2pm, my BP was raised!
I need to slow down. Now it's rest for me for the rest of the evening - to regain strength for the rest of the week.
17 comments:
Aging is real, but you super heavy work loads are also real! Take a good rest.
Now that God (?) has gotten your attention via your high BP ... you know you have to cut back on a few things.
Last few weeks I have been SOOOOO STRESSED but I knew it was for a season and these next few weeks would be less stressful so I could cope...
What I am trying to say is that it's not too bad if the busyness and stress is for a short season. it happens ... and its part of life. But if this is part of your regular schedule ... not good.
Will pray for you! God bless
Hi Perng Shyang,
Thanks!
Hi Paul,
Thanks! I guess I need to cut down some of my "moonlighting" activities...hahaha....I would need more faith to live by faith and more faith to trust God to provide... :-)
aiyo, kesian kesian....take care la, ah sir....you are no longer can take so much of workloads liao lo...u tot u still young meh???...slow down a bit lo...haih...
Dear Kar Yong, I was going to say that everytime I read your blog I sensed a surge of energy from your ministry of teaching and preaching and travelling overseas, leading tours and presenting papers, etc all packed into such a tight schedule. If I may so, there is plenty of good years ahead of you and I am sure you will be extremely fruitful for God's kingdom even if you cut back a little from your heavy workload. Take care and rest well, the BP will return to normal. BTW, for the first time in maybe 15 years, I am enjoying my week-ends without worrying about preaching on Sunday, but there is so much to do from Monday to Friday here. I hope my sabbath from preaching will last as long as possible as I do not plan to take up any engagements until end of the year.
Thanks, Desmond....yeah...getting old now!
Hi Tony,
Thanks so much for your concern.
I guess this is part of my personality who just simply cannot sit still. One of my mentors told me that one of the dangers of a sanguine is that this group of people tends to do too much in too little time. I guess I have learned this time.
Perhaps what really does not help is having 2 "jobs" both in the seminary and the church at the same. I guess this is something that is beyond my control, so what is I can do is to say "no" to what is within my control.
I am not accepting anymore speaking/preaching until next year. I have marked out the entire month of November and part of December for my little "sabbatical" rest.
Thanks, again, Tony, for the kind words.
yeah, let's go to sandakan and enjoy our time there lo, ah sir...
i want to go there n rest also le before a very new phase of challenge for me le...
You sure your BP was raised? From the picture on your blog, the reading looks normal and the heart rate is remarkably low for a man your age at 8 am.
Hi Desmond,
Yes...I am looking forward to Sandakan!
Hi Alex,
Well....that's the ideal...haha.
Firstly, need an amendment - "I was invited by Pearlie to do a 5-week bible studies series at her church" - "... invited by Pearlie's church to do ..." :)
Secondly, I am with desmond .. :) as much as I am the one that is contributing to the stress!
In way it is good sometimes to be a blur cat like me, just go through the motions without much "thought" about them but still get much things done and bearing fruits too, hopefully ;)
Your blood pressure looks much better than mine.
BTW, trinity theological college is less stressful.
And nearer to the Doctor in J.B.
Dear Blogpastor,
I think I might just be a little bit too old now for the JB doctor...
Hi Pearlie,
Opps...sorry for the mistake. Thanks for the correction.
After resting over the weekend, my BP seems to be back to normal now...But I guess I got to watch myself from now on.
I fell sick and taking MC for the first time in the year - BP though the Dr. said ok, I consider it high for me :(
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