A Million Things to Do

This weekend marks Lee and my 18th anniversary, so like I said in the previous post, we are going away overnight. I am so looking forward to a break. It is so different to have the kids out of school FOREVER. And for me not to go to work anymore. The days all seem to run together, not to mention countless getaways this past month. And friends who invite us over...I want to take advantage of every oppurtunity.

I am looking around my living room...ugh, what a mess. Not only do we have all the plastic boxes that we are moving to Belize, but now also have 6 air conditioners, and 4 boxes with tempurpedic mattress toppers. I have piles of laundry that need to be put away, and need to pack three kids for overnight tomorrow. I need to buy groceries, but that will wait until Monday. We are going to eat up some of the food we already have before I add more.

The longer I live in this apartment, the more ready I become to move. We have significantly downsized our life...our stuff. We really have gotten rid of SOOO much. I constantly am going through and making piles of things...that we just don't need. Plus our apartment or house in Belize will probably be furnished right down to pots and pans (but Im taking mine because Im used to them). So we are still taking a lot, though, just because for five years, I want familiar things around me. I do look forward to moving though, because we will have dressers to put our clothes away in...instead of suitcases. We hopefully will have a bigger home, so all the kids aren't squished into one room, and we don't trip over Erikas toys because there is nowhere to put them.

I think God has a way of preparing us for the future. Sometimes in ways that we don't even see until we look back and see His hand. In the beginning, I did not want to go to Belize because I did not want to give up everything I know...everything safe. But God has changed my heart. When I was in Belize a couple of weeks ago, I saw something I see here in America, but on a greater level. The people desperately need discipleship. They need people who will walk with them through life and teach them to turn to God themselves, not to another person to fix their problems. They need to see a living example that God's way really is better than man's way. They need generations of sin...to Stop. So that the next generation will have hope. So, this trip got me very excited. I feel it is very possible for our family to make an impact...with Jesus, of course. And I also felt that we are needed there. It is so cool how much God has done in me. How He has broken fear. I still like a plan, and want to know what is going to happen and all the details, but I see myself doing things I just wouldn't have done before. Like driving home from Conroe yesterday. In the past, I would have been scared to have done that. But I just had confidence and prayed when I got lost, etc. So cool.

We have been so blessed at the response of pastors and individuals to partner with us as we go to Belize. It is just one more confirmation of what God has called us to. But yet, still amazing. I am so thankful for the support our church has given us through this process. Walking into it, we did not know exactly how it would look, but God has provided and taken care of us in ways we could never have imagined. It is a little scary living by faith like this, but also so exciting.

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28