Autumn Aware

Nothing says fall fresh morning like some red leaves, a wooden fence and a little wedge of blue sky.

Just moved the van onto the street because we're expecting delivery of materials to finish off our driveway/patio project this weekend.  That'll be Dave's deal, with a hard-working, stone-hauling-and-mini-excavator-operating experienced crew of his buddies called in for the task.

Ken and I, also starting today, will be in full-out Garage Sale mode for the next three days.  And just in case you haven't seen the bajillion posts I've made on Highview to Thailand about it:  Saturday, September 20 from 8 to 1 at 295 Highview Drive KIT ON N2N 2K7.  

So!  Much! Stuff!  And it's been tricky because we haven't wanted to clutter the basement of the church up as much as we usually do so the Alpha Course can run undisturbed by our wonderful mayhem.

Wonderful mayhem might also be a good descriptor of these first fall weeks.  I'll admit, it's been an adjustment between our 'home-away' and our 'home-here.'  It's all the places you need to be, at a certain time, driving there in the car, with a whole lot of other cars around you, and then you get there, and there are a whole lot of people there, and you talk to them all.  It's the thing were you are now available and accessible and there's expectations around that.  

Because of the way I'm wired, it's important for me not to let all of this wonderful mayhem wind me up too tight.  Not to lose the soul care that's so much more available to me out in the kayak or down by the dock.  It's sunrise walks, and eating lunch outside, and saying no (even though I'm available), and stopping to notice the red leaves against the wooden fence with a little wedge of blue sky.

To be aware of all that autumn offers, and find and guard my city-life balance, for the sake of my own soul, but also for those I love and serve.

That being said, I'm so looking forward to Saturday.  The crew that's doing this are generous, hard-working souls that inspire me.  With the proceeds we can help four young women in northern Thailand continue their post-secondary education, an opportunity that wouldn't be their otherwise.  And the weather forecast is promising, meaning we can be outside, which always translates into more money raised.

So Happy Thursday, friends.

As the patio project progresses, I'll try to take some pictures.

And if you're close enough and can stop in on Saturday, we'd LOVE to see you!!!