The Question of Stuff

It's funny what questions people have about our move.

Most ask the same types of things I think I would if I were in their shoes:

"Wait... where is Guatemala?"

"You're driving there!?

"How long will you be gone?"

But, there are also some questions we've gotten (from a surprisingly high percentage of people) that kind of make us wonder. And giggle. Just a little.

For example, I can't tell you how many times people have looked at us and said, "Are you taking your kids?"

Mind you, this is after they know we're planning more than just a brief trip - we're going to be moving there! And, while I understand that their kinda-goofy external expression is merely an indication of some serious internal reflection and processing, it's still hard for me not to quip back, "No, we thought we'd just put them into storage until we returned..."

The question of storage (for stuff - not kids) does come up a lot, though, and I think it's a great question. People are curious (just like I would be) about what we're taking with us, and what we're putting into storage here.

Many of our decisions about our 'stuff' have been based, out of necesity, on the space we have avaialable. But, I guess that's true for everyone. If you have a mansion, you have a mansion's worth of stuff. If you have a tin shack (like many in Xela do), you have a tin shack's worth of stuff. We have a Jeep Liberty (which is not very big), so very soon we will have only a Jeep Liberty's worth of stuff.

Plus a little in storage.

I'm sure there will be more blogs to come in the future about exactly what we're taking with us. For now, I thought I might share about what we're putting into storage, and why.

We decided early on not to put furniture or other big stuff into storage, because we don't really own anything of tremendous value (monetary, historical, sentimental, or otherwise) when it comes to furniture. We've usually purchased things second-hand, which was easy to do once, and will be easy to do again.

Ditto kitchen items. Ditto bedding. Ditto, well, almost everything else.

So, this is it. This is what 5 people's worth of stored stuff looks like for us:

We kept old home movies and family photos. (There were a LOT of those!) We kept our two old computer towers for practical purposes, in case we end up needing something off of them that we somehow didn't get transfered to our new external hard drive. We kept yearbooks, newspaper clippings, baby books, and a few other things to prove to our kids that they did have a life before we moved. We kept a couple of sentimental items each, that had come from family or friends and evoked warm memories. The girls each kept a small tub or two of their favorite toys, and we kept many of our family's favorite books.

I can already tell that the next time we come back for a visit we will ask ourselves why on earth we kept so much. Moving to Xela, I guess you could say, is a little like practicing up for moving to Heaven. Now, we can't take much with us, which helps us recognize that 'stuff' just isn't all that important. After all, we're not going to get to taking anything with us when our time on earth is done. And, since our citizenship is really in heaven, and not on earth (Phil. 3:20), I'm pretty happy that we're learning to pack accordingly..

What about you - what would YOU put into storage if you were in our shoes???

Details, Details, Details...

Various famous thinkers and writers have been credited for coining the phrase, "Only two things are inevitable - death and taxes."

While the expression itself is true enough (even if we don't know who said it first), I think it's important to point out that at least the redemptive work of Jesus overcame the sting of death for all believers.

Taxes - not so much. :)

I'm thinking we're going to have to rely on His plan for tax payment, and start looking for coins in the mouths of fish next April.

It's not that I am not willing to pay, or even that we won't be able to do so. I just don't have a clue what to expect that we'll owe when April 15th rolls around next year. Even after enlisting help from the best-trained professionals, it's still  really quite a mystery.

Ditto about how to handle vehicle registration.

Driver's License Renewal.

Health Insurance.

Car Insurance.

Etc, etc, etc.

We are finding a whole lot of 'detail' things that are kind of up in the air, even though we're only 10 days from leaving.  The problem, of course, is that what we're doing is just a wee, tiny bit outside of the  norm, and people don't always know how to answer the questions we're finding ourselves asking. As a result, we end up getting mixed messages depending on which question we ask, to whom, on which day.

To be honest, though - I'm ok with that. We will keep doing due dilligence on our end, and sift through all the answers we get as best we can in order to make our decisions. The rest is up to God. And, I can't think of any better place to put my trust than Him!

Waiting Games

I have a new game I've started playing in this funny, interim time frame while we're waiting to leave. I call it, "Will It Last?" It goes like this...

I like to have a glass of iced green tea most days. This is what the box has left. Will it last!?

This is the toilet paper left in the downstairs bathroom. Will it last?

This is how much coffee I have left in the cannister. Will it last?

It's a fun game, and I'm finding more and more opportunities to play it with each passing day. :)

16 Days Left

Alright, it finally just hit.

Do you realize we are moving to Guatemala?  

No, like really moving to Guatemala.  Like, selling all our stuff, quiting our jobs, and taking our kids to Guatemala.

You know, this whole journey has been very odd.  I find myself getting upset over things that don’t seem like they should be that important, and sometimes I want to hang on to things that don’t really matter.

I used to have a small collection of NASCAR cars and mini baseball stadiums.  Last year when we had a garage sale I sold them.  This was a collection that I had worked on for a number of years.  But, they are gone to other loving homes now.  That was a hard day.  It was kind of like taking part of my identity away.  I was sad for a little bit, and then I realized He has called me to something more important.  So, that part of my identity is now filled with Him.

There have been so many of those moments over the last year.  They are too numerous to mention, and mostly I forgot about them, because in the grand scheme of things they don’t matter.

When I am greeted in heaven by Jesus I do not believe he is going to ask if I enjoyed my NASCAR collection, or say that He is proud of me for getting that mint condition Kyle Busch collector car.

He is going to ask, "Did you feed the poor?  Did you tell people the good news?  Did you love everyone, including the unlovable?"

 I am hoping to be able to say, "YES!"

So, in sixteen days, my family and I will be leaving for Guatemala.  Even if we come back and live “normal” lives in two years, we will never be the same.  I will never get this job back. I will never get the house back that I love so much. I will never be able to get the stuff back that is part of my identity here.

Instead my identity will only grow stronger in Him, and that will lead to a stronger “YES!” in heaven.

Matthew 25:34-36 (NIV)
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

Laying it Down

I've always wondered what Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John felt when Jesus told them to drop their nets and follow Him (Mt. 4:18-22).

The Bible is clear that they quickly and willingly obeyed - knowing that the person who called them was so much more than just a mere man, even if they couldn't yet fathom the fullness of who He was. There was something about Jesus that compelled them to lay down everything - their livelihoods, their futures, their families and friends - in order to get closer to Him.

I get that now.

But, I also wonder if those disciples struggled with the same questions and challenges that I'm facing as I prepare to follow Christ in where He is leading me.

My livelihood isn't hard for me to leave. After all - in a way, I'm boosting my own resume and professional possiblities by teaching full-time in a private Christian school. So, that's a win-win for me.

I'm also not worried about my future. Sure, I wonder about what life would be like for us if we were to stay here, instead of leaving. However, I'm fully confident that His way is the best way, and that God meant it for me  when He said, "I know the plans I have for you - plans to prosper you, and not to harm you. To give you a future, and hope." (Jeremiah 29:11).

So, I feel pretty good about leaving my career and future up to Him, knowing He's got them covered.

The part that's hardest - that I struggle with sometimes - 

is in leaving friends and family. 

You see - that's where there's a whole lot of free will that comes into play. Free will that's outside of God's control. That's where there are other people involved.

That's where things get more complicated.

There are people in our life who do not think it's a good idea for us to go. Who don't understand why we're doing it. Who wish we'd stay. Who don't support our decision. We dearly love these people. And, while that part (the part about us loving them) isn't going to change, there are no guarantees about whether or not their love and friendship will be strained, and grow cold during our time in Guatemala.

That's hard stuff.

There are also people in our life who are completely supportive of our ministry. Who show us tremendous grace and support. Who are such an important part of who we are and the process we've gone through to get here that it's hard to think of being separated from them at all, let alone at such great distance. We dearly love these people. And, while that part (the part about us loving them), isn't going to change, there are no guarantees for us about whether or not their love and friendship will be strained, and grow cold during our time in Guatemala, either.

That is hard stuff, too.

Remember in the Bible where the disciples dropped everything to follow the Lord? Now I understand that it probably wasn't their nets that were the hardest thing to lay down at the feet of Jesus.

It was their relationships.

That ones that might have been.

The ones that were just starting to grow. 

The ones that were nearest and dearest to them.

The ones that were already strained and challenging. 

The ones they worried over, they rejoiced over, they relied on most.

But even as hard as it may be to lay all of the precious relationships in my life before the Lord, trusting that He will be sufficient no matter what happens with them, it would be harder still to ignore His call and not go. 

After all, just as it was for the disciples, there is still something about Jesus that compells us to lay down everything - our livelihoods, our futures, and even our families and friends - in order to get closer to Him. 

.

Life Changer

Have you ever had a life changing moment?  One that changes the way you look at everything. One that you know every time you look back, you’ll say, “That was the moment..."

If you are like me, you have had several of them.  The normal ones -getting my own place the first time, giving my life to Jesus, when the kids were born, getting married. But I believe the biggest change of my life was in February of 2013.

If you want to burst your bubble on everything you believe, go on a mission trip.  Not just any mission trip though.  Many people go on ones that are kind of like a vacation. No, go on one where they work you.  Where you get to visit the local churches and talk to the local people.  Our trip was six days. We only really got a half day of recreation.  By then I was so brusied up from carrying buckets of rock and sand that I needed it!

The picture above is of the group that Andrea and I went with. (Andrea is taking the picture).  They are all from our church, but except for the Pastor, we didn’t really know any of them before the trip. (We were pretty new to our church).  Because of our experiences together, these people will always be in my heart.

I have a bond with them that I don’t think could ever be broken.

This picture was when we arrived in Guatemala City. We looked a little more disheveled going out!

I had gotten bogged down in a normal life.  Before the trip, I came home a lot of nights and thought, "Is this it?" That's sad for someone who has been blessed with so much.  After the trip, my life in Christ has been renewed.  The purpose of everything has changed.  I look to the future with hope and excitement.

So, do you want a changed life?  Do you want to help people in eternal ways?  Do you want relationships that are forged from a love for Christ?  Do you want to be renewed?

Go on a mission trip.  Who knows, it may change you so much that you forsake your current life to completely live for Christ.

Home!!

It's official - we now have a place to rest our heads when we arrive in Xela. (Yay!!)

Our first two months will be in a 3 bedroom apartment further away from downtown. Though it will be smaller, more expensive, and less conveniently located, it will be fully furnished and comes with a cleaning service. (I'm not going to lie - that's kind of exciting.)

Anyhoo - here are some pics of that place:

The front

Welcome!

A cozy livingroom

Kitchen

Upstairs bedrooms

In late September, we'll be moving to a much bigger place. It belongs to the mother of a dear friend there (whom we are excited to get to know even better). I don't know what we'll do wtih all the space - there are six bedrooms! But, it is a wonderful price, conveniently located downtown, and a really nice home. We are feeling truly blessed!! Here are a few shots of this place, so you'll know what to expect if you come visit us. :)

The front (lots of hills there)

The livingroom

Dining room (attached to kitchen)

What a lovely kitchen!! :)

The archways at the end are the door to the kitchen and windows in the diningroom. This is the INTERIOR courtyard/patio. (Cool, huh?) It has a clear, plastic room two stories up, so it is always sunny during the day, but doesn't rain in. 

One of the bedrooms. (One of SIX!)

This is the 2nd floor. There are bedrooms all around the open courtyard/patio, with walkways connecting them.

The rooftop patio (a.k.a. - the clothes dryer). :)

My favorite - the view from the rooftop. Ahhhh, Xela - a beautiful city, and our new home!

I hope you enjoyed the pictures and getting a chance to see where we'll be staying once we arrive. I'm sure there will be many more pics posted once we get there. But, at least we can all imagine together now between now and when we get there!

Two Roads

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, 

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler...

...I took the one less traveled by, 

And that has made all the difference.

Boy, golly - I totally understand how Robert Frost felt when he penned those words! We are at a point in our lives where I feel like I'm standing at the head of two very different paths. Of course, we've already chosen to take the one that leads us to Guatemala.

I guess you could call that 'less traveled'. And, I believe with all of my heart that it will make an enormous difference - not only in our lives, and the lives of our children, but also in the lives and eternities of those we will help while we're there.

Yet, for these few moments (weeks) before we firmly plant our feet (Jeep tires) on the actual path headed south, I keep finding myself wondering what would lie ahead on the other path. What family gatherings (both the momentous and mundane) lie just around the next corner? Parties? Weekend trips? Church services? Side paths? Promotions? New friendships? Oh - the possibilities that might be ahead if we chose to step out on that path!

It is a good path.  It is smoother, and a lot easier to navigate than the other.  I'm sure it leads to very good things, and is enormously appealing.

Nevertheless, it is not the path for us.

So, even as I daydream about what our lives would be like if we chose the wider, more worn way, the road less traveled by is calling my name. And, I can't wait to see what lies in store for us there.