Monday, January 19, 2009

Lots of Packing

Things have been moving quickly lately. After packing up my entire apartment and moving to Florida, I am already packing for a trip to Brazil to visit my family. I will be doing a lot of packing over the next several months. =)

My parents got to Richmond on Thursday night. I had hoped to be further along in the packing process, but that just didn't happen. Friday was my last day of work. After saying goodbye to my coworkers and turning in my badge, I headed back to my apartment to finish packing, cleaning, and organizing with my parents. I realized while I was packing that I have A LOT of books! We packed the car my parents rented to the very top and were on our way first thing Saturday morning.

Praise God for a smooth and safe 16 hour drive to Florida!

I will miss Richmond. The last two weeks felt like a blur of details, packing, and saying goodbye. I am really thankful for all the time that I had with friends, and hopefully I will see a lot of them again before I leave for Sudan. Although leaving was sad, I was more excited that I am getting closer to leaving for Sudan. The only time I really got sad and cried was after a potluck with women from my Bible study. I will miss them all dearly. I didn't really have time for long goodbyes, and there are some people who I didn't get to talk to one last time or hug.



In less than 1 month, I will pack up a few things and fly back to Richmond. I am sorry if I didn't get to say goodbye to you before I left. Please give me a call, and maybe we can get together when I am back in VA.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Goodbye Richmond

I have 8 more days of work.
I will be living in Richmond for 11 more days.
Please pray for me to not be overwhelmed during the next two weeks and to trust God to provide.

Up until this weekend, I was operating with a vague idea of leaving Richmond some time in the future. I would still see friends and colleagues several times, and I had time to close out the details of my life in Richmond.

This weekend however, leaving Richmond became real. I will worship at WEPC only one more time. I am making plans to say goodbye to the friends who have been a blessing to me over the last few years.

In this midst of saying goodbye to friends, the details of leaving Richmond rapidly became overwhelming. Preparing to leave for Sudan in April has proved to be a challenge. There are several times over the next few months when I will have possessions in three states. The trick is having the right things with me at the right times. =)

I also have not purchased a 2009 planner yet. This has caused considerable chaos. I make lists in my planners, and I don't have a list of the things that need to get done before I leave yet. (Hopefully I will pick up a planner today!)

All of a sudden I was caught between a desire to spend time with friends and enjoy their company, and manage a move to Florida the day after my last day of work. I felt for sure that something would get dropped. I would forget to cancel the electricity, or leave my cell phone charger in one of the boxes of things I am leaving in Richmond. (none of which would be a disaster)

Well that was an opportunity for me to realize that I had really become anxious about all the details and for me to ask for prayer. I was trusting God to provide my remaining financial support, but I hadn't been trusting God with all the details of the next few months.


Leaving Richmond is an exciting landmark because it means I am that much closer to leaving for Sudan. In two weeks, I will be in transition. Some things will remain constant and stable but most will be changing rapidly.

In a Gilmore Girls episode Rory says the following about goodbyes. (Yes, I am a Gilmore Girls fan)

"There's nothing good about a goodbye. It's a poorly named ritual. It was a bad bye. A very bad bye."

Well I disagree. I think that goodbyes can be good. I pray that my goodbyes in Richmond will be good, all in their own unique ways.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards

Since many people are making resolutions for the new year, I thought I would copy the following statement which precedes the resolutions of Jonathan Edwards (there are 70 of them).

"Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humbly entreat Him by His grace to enable me to keep these resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ's sake."

How comforting and freeing!