Packing

Will I want my jingle bells in Thailand?

I started packing up my sewing things today, putting my fabric, craft tools, and sewing accessories away for perhaps years. Will I ever sew again? I haven’t for a few years, but somehow it seemed like I might when the things were out and ready for use.

Other things have to be packed too. What do we really need for the next couple of months? It seems so final to be putting things away. The house looks empty with bare cupboards and walls.

Gary keeps saying, “Well, I guess that’s the last time we’ll be doing that!” as we participate in some of our regular activities here.

In this process I also found a little book my daughter, Amanda, gave me a few years ago called The Dangerous Duty of Delight by John Piper. (Finding missing things is one positive to packing up) Rereading it, I am challenged to find delight in the Lord and what He asks me to do. He is telling me to look ahead to what good He is doing in my life, to the adventure He is calling me to. This packing is for the purpose of going somewhere else. I know that staying here, out of His will, would be worse than this packing and leaving my ties here. I need to focus on the opportunities He’s giving us in Thailand. He is also showing His goodness to me through the packing process. We ran out of tubs Tuesday, then Wednesday a friend brought over nine more that she said they were done with. PTL! (and thank you, Pam)

Then, also, it really isn’t as final as it all seems.

I decided to pack away my jingle bells, but I marked the tubs and put them on the storage list. If I realize I could use them after teaching for a year, I can come get them on our home visit.