Adventures in Moving

My stuff

We as Americans are enamored with our stuff. We want more stuff. I am no exception.
I agonized and prayed and cried over the decision to go to Honduras. Once I decided, and I was the hold out; Marc decided long before me and patiently waited on me, the decision about my stuff was more agonizing. At first, I thought I would either take or store all my stuff. There was too much to do either, but I thought that is what I would do. Then those great sermons on discipleship came along and one Sunday Joe Taylor what was keeping you from being a disciple. I said my stuff. I might have spoken orally, I am not sure. I told Nicole that I had had this life changing event and I was going to get rid of my stuff. She laughed at me. She did not believe me. I told my small group as well. I had to be accountable to someone or, for sure, I would not get rid of my stuff.

Then I seriously began going through the stuff. I threw it away. I hauled it to the garage so I could have the yard sale to end all yard sales. When the garage got full, I stored it in the basement. Eventually, it had to be hauled up to the garage as well.

Then Tuesday of last week we began to pack and load the stuff we were keeping or storing. I said all day long I am taking too much to Honduras and I am storing too much. I should have not kept so much stuff. But at 1:00 a.m on Friday morning, when I did not even have all the stuff out of boxes, much less priced, I was really thankful there was no more stuff in that garage. I sold a ton of stuff, but not enough. Today, Marc and I have to haul all that stuff to Goodwill. Stuff who needs it?

I have not had to do a do-it-yourself move since 1977. We have always had corporate moves. The company hired someone to come in and pack and load everything in the house. And I do mean everything. Even the garbage was packed unless it was in the do not pack pile. Thus, the reason I guess I accumulated so much stuff. I never had to pack it myself. I had some really good help packing Tuesday, a couple of good friends. But when Marc left in the truck on Wednesday morning, I immediately found stuff that should have gone to Honduras, stuff that should have gone to Mississippi for storage, stuff everywhere. I have still have a few days to get rid of the rest of this. It just did not all disappear like in a corporate move.

Speaking of the do not pack pile. In every corporate move, Marc has received this new assignment and left immediately. The movers would get there and do their thing and we would see Marc on the other end. There was always a do not pack pile. But since Marc has never been in on a move, he would not know that. He packed his clothes to ship to Honduras and left everything he needed for the next two weeks hanging in the closet. I took everything I needed for the next two weeks and put in a do not pack pile. While my friends were packing up the kitchen and Marc was loading the truck, I packed our bedroom. Yes, I packed everything in the closet including Marc's clothes for the next 2 weeks or so. Maybe longer, because we don't really know when we will see our container again. He had moved the bedroom furniture out and never again went into our bedroom. He left in the truck on Wednesday and got back on Thursday night. After the initial rush of the yard sale slowed down, he went in to take a shower. Imagine his surprise when there is no clean clothes. Not even his suit and he had to preach on Sunday morning in Topeka and has another presentation in Lubbock on Thursday. By his own admission, he did not have the attitude of Christ. For some reason, I thought it was a lot funnier than he did. All is not lost. I have washed and washed laundry. I have not folded any of it. This is the first time in my whole life, I can honestly say thank goodness I have not folded any laundry in days. There are socks and underwear and all kinds of clothes. Somehow I even forgot to pack the dress shoes to go with the suit. Our friends, Steve and Karen, brought some of their things over the yard sale. Steve had a couple of suits marked $5.00 each. They fit Marc like they were taylor-made. See, all things work out. Now, 3 days later, Marc is laughing about this situation.

We are living out of suitcases, scatttering things about, pushing them in a closet when the house is shown. We both are ready for the moving adventure to end and the next adventure to begin.

Marc will be leaving for Honduras next week on the 20th. I will leave here that day for Texas to spend time with family. I will leave for Honduras on the 28th. Hang on to your hats, we still have more than a week to go. There might be Adventures in Moving Part II by the time we actually leave.