Ditching

My life right now consists of boxes and suitcases and garbage bags.  Boxes to ship to the D.R., boxes to store with friends in Harrisonburg, boxes and bags of things to donate, suitcases to take to Guatemala. 

Today I sent off my D.R. stuff – eight 16 inch X 16 inch boxes.  Clothes, shoes, some books, a few favorite knick-knacks, my lentil pot, spices, crosses…  We don’t use the mail system in the D.R. so they are heading to Agape Flights in Florida, a mission agency who serves other missionaries by delivering mail to countries like Haiti and the D.R.  The SI folks in Jarabacoa will store them for me until I get there. 

When I finally reunite with them after the summer, I wonder if I’ll shake my head at the things I decided to bring! 

How does it feel to know all the things I’m going to have for the next three years are heading away? Very honestly, all I’m feeling is relief that it’s gone.  It means one thing on my rather long list is completed. 

It’s discouraging because it took two and a half days to get those eight boxes packed.  I naively thought it was going to be five boxes and take one day.  I’m trying to quell my rising panic in being a day and a half behind my schedule!

 As I said, I am glad my D.R. boxes are finally gone.  Of course, when I look around my place, it doesn’t look any more empty!  I asked a friend if she needed any plastic hangers.  “NO!” she said, “Those things reproduce when you’re not looking.”  It feels like everything in my place is doing that! 

I know my packing style doesn’t help.  I may have mentioned that I tend to work in one room until it overwhelms me, then move onto another.  So, in between packing boxes, I’ve been going through my kitchen cupboards, my books, clothes, etc.  It means each room is a cluttered mess, but it also means I keep going.  It may not be the most effective technique, but hey, it’s working (mostly!).

I’m also trying to fit in lunches, dinners, coffee and such with friends, a final haircut, doctor’s appointment, Spiritual Direction, etc.  And, all the last minute things like banking, canceling utilities, etc.  It all needs to be done, but I worry that I’m going to get to Guatemala completely wiped out – not the best way to Exit my world, and Enter another – in a new language, too! 

I wonder, will I get to Antigua, Guat., and shake my head at how I chose to spend my last two weeks in Harrisonburg?

In some ways, MTI seems like weeks, not days, ago.  Last night I paged through my SPLICE binder.  There’s lots of great stuff in there we didn’t get time to review.  I want to have time to sit and ponder some of it, especially the sections related to Stressors and putting together a Stress Plan before major stress shows up!  (Like needing to get a month’s worth of things done in less than two weeks…?)

Outside the sun is shining, beckoning me to go join in the warmth and beauty.  The birds and trees and bugs and flowers must be shaking their heads, too, at all of us humans spending a lovely June day inside, instead of enjoying God’s creation. 

You know what,  I’m going to grab my iPod and head out.  An hour’s more packing today may be urgent, but reveling in the beauty of the Shenandoah Valley just seems like it’s more important.  I’m probably too old to ditch, but that’s what I’m going to do.  Somehow I think when I get to Guatemala I’ll be glad I did!