| Monday, July 25, 2005 |
| Pride and Packing |
We're T-minus four days before we have to be out of the house. It's come up quickly; I never imagined that we would actually have our house sold and closed before the end of July. We were praying that the house would sell fast so we wouldn't be faced with two mortgage payments at the same time. I guess you need to be careful what you pray for.
So we're in the process of gathering all of our earthly possessions to put in a POD for two months until our new place is finished. The problem is: I don't like packing. From industrial strength scotch tape to used cardboard boxes, the whole process just bothers me. Maybe it's the constant contact with cardboard the makes me think of having paper in my mouth which gives me goosebumps [no kidding, I have goosebumps right now just thinking of it]. Yeah, I'm weird-- get over it. I don't mind moving the boxes and furniture; I actually get pumped up about all that grunt work. But the packing part has always been a task that I've dreaded.
Keeping in form with everything He's done during this transition, God once again provided help. This weekend my in-laws, Dave and Bev, and our friend Carol Carlile came over and did hard core packing. I mean, practically everything is boxed up and in the garage ready to be moved. It's amazing! If Kelly had left me to do it alone, there might have been a room or two packed. From kitchen to storage spaces, things are ready to move. Their work this weekend is going to make this week bearable with all the other chaotic things happening.
It's been moments like these, since we've decided to start the new church, that God has used to teach me a valuable lesson. Like a lot of people, it's difficult for me to admit that I need help. I'm a rather proud person, who wants to show people hat I'm capable of doing anything I put my mind to. But when there aren't enough hours in the day in which to get everything done, either you don't get them done or you get help. As we embarked on this new phase in our lives a few months ago, I vowed not to let my pride hinder the effort. It's been tough for me to admit, but without other people, we wouldn't have made it.
I can't begin to describe how people have already come through in ways I can't believe. From the realtor advising us to sell the house by ourselves, sacrificing his commission so we could save some money to the friends offering legal advise so we could get the proper documents without paying extra fees. From those who helped make our house look beautiful before we moved to the people who gave us plenty of moving boxes. God has used people to keep us going. This doesn't even include all the people who have been praying for us as we move to a new mission field. It all leaves me humbled.
And just Friday night the air conditioning in the house stopped working. The motor in the heat pump outside stopped moving. I never would have noticed if we hadn't grilled out that night [well, we would have noticed a few hours later when the house wasn't cool, but by then the motor would've been completely burned up]. Since my father owns an HVAC company, I wasn't too worried; I was almost relieved that it happened before we moved so the new homeowners wouldn't think we ripped them off. I called my dad to see if he would send someone over on Monday morning. Faced with a weekend of extreme heat, he was at our doorstep early Saturday morning with parts in hand to fix the problem.
Just when you wonder if all this will work out, it does-- almost symphonically. Like an artist working a canvas, God has been using many of you to make all this happen. Kelly and I are eternally grateful for all your support and actions. And thanks for being a part of teaching me an important lesson on life. We need each other to get by. That's one of the reasons Jesus gave us the church: so that when one of us down, we can pick each other up. I just felt like I was always on the giving end.
So the next time one of you needs some boxes packed up, don't call me. I hate it and the goosebumps. But once you need them moved, I'll take 'em wherever you want them to go. It's the least I can do. |
yet another musing of steve-o @ 8:10:00 AM  |
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