Happy Unorthodox New Year

I'm awake this particular Monday morning feeling clear-headed, motivated, eager and excited.

The 'back to normal after the holidays' thing lagged one week for Ken and I, as we waited out the final inspections, making it possible to move in and set up the last bits of our lives over this past weekend.

Today feels like a gigantic, long-awaited new beginning.  A Monday morning of Monday mornings.  No, more like New Year's all over again, except on this rather arbitrary date of January 13.  And while we still have a fair bit of finessing to do to finish off the kitchen and feel out where to hang what on the walls, for the most part we are all moved in.  

I write it here, and walk around and look at the place, but, to be honest, I still can't quite believe it.  

And yet it's real.  Yes!  Here we are!  Finally!  And now....Time to sit down to the work before me in a more steady, concentrated way than I've been able to do in more than a month, or longer, if I count the whole big ordeal of moving.  I have been reminded, in very concrete terms, that there is a strong correlation between a consistent schedule within an ordered environment, and the amount of creativity and productivity I might hope to achieve.  

After the bogged down disruption of not just Christmas break, but the many months prior, it's very freeing to have my work space set up and know that's where it's going to stay put.  What a concept!  My brain is no longer consumed with unpacking and putting away.  I can stop wondering, because now I know what pieces of furniture fit where.  And it helps so much when you have a regular place to hang your keys, plonk your pen, put down your water bottle, recharge your phone, keep your Bible.

Happily, the absent-minded brain fog is lifting.  That limbo-locked-down feeling is fading.  At least I think it is, I hope it is.  I hope I can now catch up a bit on emails and other outstanding communications.  I'm really looking forward to finishing up a few projects, and getting a handle on the prep work for my February trip to Hot Springs.  There's the Haiti Dinner and Silent Auction to get ready for, just before that.  And some filing.  I have a packet I brought back from the cottage that's been waiting for this day when all my binders and files were ready and open to receive. 

All systems are go, and I can't wait to get going.  That was a long stint of disruption, and it makes the normal rhythms of life seem simply and delightfully oh so wonderful!

I pause here to make mention of the friends I know who are right now experiencing anything but the normal rhythms of life.  For lots of reasons and in different situations, this remains a disrupted Monday for them.  No new beginnings yet.  Maybe that's you.  Our transitional realities over the past six months, not to mention some fairly decent disruptions in the past, remind me, in fairly basic ways, that life is complex, and surprising, and quite easily upheaved.  

Prayers and hugs, and cheering you on until the day you too can have your own unorthodox new year.

And until then, a promise.  He is faithful.

"See, I am doing a new thing;

now it springs forth,

do you not perceive it?

I will make a way in the wilderness

and rivers in the dessert."

Isaiah 43:19

Before We Know It's All Going to Be Okay, Is it Still Okay?

It's a tad anticlimactic by now, but here, at last, is the iconic picture I've been waiting to post.

It takes a little while for all the paperwork to come through before you're allowed to mark your house as "Sold," apparently. But never mind. It's really happening!

It's been an experience, this whole foray into our next adventure. Selling the house was only one step in a series of decisions and arrangements and negotiations and planning. But it was near to the beginning of things, and probably the one that held the most implications.

I'm talking about timing mostly.

To be honest, we expected things to go more quickly. In our minds, that would have set us up for the best schedule of events, both the building and moving in, over the summer. Nice and tidy, everything ready for the fall and a new season to begin in our new home.

But lots has changed in the market in the two years we've been working on this. And no one can predict these things. And what it ended up being was a two month 'delay' on our well laid out plan.

There's a verse in Proverbs I've always loved to quote because it sounds so much like the 'right answer.' But I'm now having to live it out in real time.

"Many are the plans in a person's heart,
but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails."
Proverbs 19:21

In our particular case, at least as we see it so far, this 'delay' is actually working out to be to our advantage in a number of surprising ways. And we rejoice in that. We 'bear testimony' to the greater purposes of God and His wisdom in ordering things differently than we would have, because, obviously He knows better. And likely, I'll be writing more about all those surprise benefits in the weeks to come.

But an honest reflection on this text, on this idea, has to include that sometimes we do NOT get to see what the advantages are to God's greater purposes. In fact, a LOT of the time, we don't.

And I'm thinking this is the difference between a superstitious-esque kind of interaction with God, where we try to manipulate outcomes in the tight little spaces of our personal preferences, and a faith that trusts God's work in the unseen and eternal spaces of prevailing purpose, no matter what.

It's all fine and good for me to be happily going about my merry way, now that I can see the benefits in the delay. It was another thing about two weeks ago when I had to 'white-knuckle' it on the faith-ride we were on. In those spaces, I kept hearing the Father ask me if I actually trusted Him the way I claim I do.

So, today, I happily post the SOLD picture, and it's a good day.
But in another way, those un-SOLD days, those were good days too; of being real, of spiritual intimacy, of making sure I really live as if I believe God is who He says He is.

Packing party today. I have iced tea and some other cooling treats ready for the friends who have said they'd stop by. I have packing supplies and markers and labels, and general categories of 'stuff' all lined up. Things are progressing well, and I am enjoying the pace of it. So far at least :).

Thank you, everyone who is praying for us, cheering us on, offering help and a place to sleep in the in between places of our comings and going this summer.

Between July 18 and 'end of November' we will not be homeless. We have a cottage.
We have a community.

Hope your day goes amazingly well, whatever you're up to.

Basket Build Up

When we were still away, and I was thinking ahead to the task of packing, I wondered whether or not I might find a few extra baskets at the house for a few practical and decorative touches at the cottage.

Packing is its own thing. So many categories to assign, in hopes of keeping it all organized for the time of unpacking on the other end. Books, bedding, kitchenware, clothes. But I don't think I realized just how much of a category 'baskets' would be!

I have a fondness for baskets. I knew that. But now that I'm emptying and gathering them, I'm just a little bit surprised by how many I actually have. Pictured here are just the small percentage I'm not too embarrassed to show you.

And the thing is, if I'm being perfectly honest, this whole exercise of purging and cleaning and packing and moving has revealed that I own a startling abundance of 'stuff' in general. It's messing with the image I have had of myself as being someone NOT caught up in materialism and consumerism.

And yet here I am with a scandalous amount of baskets.

Among other "things."

Paul's words of instruction to his pastoral mentee, Timothy, come to mind here.

"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that."
1 Timothy 6:6

Before I scold myself too harshly, I sense the Spirit reminding me that there is a lifetime of raising first, children, then grandchildren over the past 36 years in the house. It has welcomed people to the table, hosted countless meetings, and been a space for folks to at times unburden themselves when life has been heavy.

The house is "full" of more than just "stuff."

This current move to a more simpler way of living is part of the work He is doing in my heart now, at this particular stage of my life, and was not the focus in years past.

But a build up of baskets is still a good visual moment of spiritual formation, asking me to pause and just take stock; of both the "things", and my level of contentment.

And I guess I do have a few I can take back to the cottage.

Given this is only Tuesday, and looking around at the state of things, I'd say we're off to a great start. We'll still have a lot ready for when some friends to join us on Thursday afternoon for a 'packing party,' but the tedious 'don't talk to me while I think this through' packing is well underway.

Hope everyone is staying cool.
Our house, with no AC, stays cool thanks to mature trees and strategically places fans.
Glad for that.
Glad for bins and boxes.
Glad for packing tape.
Glad for baskets.

And yes, since I can hear some of you suggesting it,

I AM using baskets to help with the packing. :)

From the Sublime to the Ridiculous

 

This is our front room right now.

The contrast couldn't be greater since, for the past two months the entire house has looked a little more like a hotel room than where people actually live. All the floor space you can reveal is how it's all been set up. Clean, tidy, pristine.

But now we're back and we are packing with a great fervor and determination. All the bins and boxes so carefully put in storage during all the open houses are now emancipated to do their thing.

I'm greatly encouraged by how much we've already been able to get done, given we only been home since Saturday evening. And then, after church we worked on it a little just to get it all 'started.' But we go a lot accomplished in that little bit. So I think we might actually be able to do this!!!

It's not a simple move.
There are categories.

First, there's what we'll need to keep with us for the four and a half months between closing date and moving in to the new build.
That's going to the cottage with us. Clothes mostly, but I confess I'll be bringing a few special things you might call 'décor' but actually have important significance. That's just to keep track of them, and because they are in their own way comforting and/or reassuring in the midst of a disrupted life.

Then there's packing for Thailand, which I have to do now even though departure date isn't until end of July. That's tricky. And I'm glad for a little bit of space at the church to collect Sponsors' packets and ESL materials in a separate suitcase.

Then there's what's going into storage. That may sound simple, but in advance I'm tagging the furniture and the bins with what rooms they might eventually end up in. Good thing we have the blueprints and have measured everything already. :)

Then there's all the 'leftovers' I'm not quite sure about yet. That's where most of my brain power will likely be going today and tomorrow.

By the way, anyone want to talk about a Caroms table, or a very large, cherry wood bookcase from the Victorian era? We have a few ideas but we certainly want to do right by these heirloom Breithaupt pieces.

Speaking of brain power, neither Ken nor I are totally 'off' work due to the nature of what we do. While we have been excused from most meetings, there are still emails that need responses and time-sensitive matters to tend to. Friends, if this involves you, and I'm not getting back to you soon enough, please do not feel shy about sending another email to prompt me!

In the midst of this, we are saddened to hear the news of an 'extended' family member's passing, and will be on call and looking for ways to love and support.

So, Monday morning of a different sort for sure.
And then there's the heat warnings!
I made iced tea.

Whatever starts this week for you, I wish you calm midst the chaos, cool spaces in the heat, comfort in any sorrow, and confidence for the adventures ahead.