Boxing Up and Moving Out

                Packing, packing, packing, oh and did I mention measuring, counting and weighing.  And no, I am not referring to packing in more food, packing on more pounds and watching the numbers on the scale rise. No, this is a lot more wearisome and frustrating than an intensifying corpulence issue. I am referring to the process which the Vaughns, Wes and the Steeles are in the midst of.  They are all choosing between what will go with them and what will be left here in the U.S. The things which they wish to take must be inventoried by weight and number (according to the Georgian customs regulations) and then packed carefully and efficiently together. EVERYTHING must be counted. We were informed by one lady that the officials had wanted to know “even the number of pencils” she had in a pencil box and the weight. While packing up the necessities and the sentimental things, they are simultaneously trying to be rid of the remaining objects, large or small and possibly get some form of monetary gain in return, aka garage sales, craigslist, and handouts to unfortunate passersby (you may determine why they are unfortunate).

                I have been assisting my family by listing things on Craig’s list. By the end of today I will have photographed and posted advertisements for 37 items in an 18-hour period. Mainly I’ve turned into a mechanized motion of clicking and typing and every once and a while pausing at the “Location” box on the posting form for craigslist and wondering, “Where are we again?” I wish there was some way that selling our house could be as easy as adding it to the list of things for me to post on craigslist. The house has yet to sell and the departure date is closing in. The situation is extremely vulnerable to being used by satan as a discouraging stressor to my parents, especially my father, but we know God has the best plan. A little bit ago I was becoming concerned that my robot body may short circuit as I continue to be a mechanized poster of more things on craigslist in the upcoming weeks and was considering taking a cue from Ian Usher (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/7479836.stm) and try to auction off our house and everything in it on Ebay. (Just fyi, Ian tried to auction his whole life on ebay, job, friends, car and all… a little more extreme than I’m wanting, but still a great idea!) That way it would be two birds with one stone!  That’s one of Jesus’ parables, right?

               The funny thing, though, is that my tin, robotic body may actually have a heart (and if not, I’m sure the Wizard of Pankisi will give me one). To me, I was merely checking off items on a list but as I took my most recent pictures, of kitchen appliances, there was a pang inside of me that said “No! Mom can’t get rid of her nitrous-turbo-power,-organic-matter-grinder! (food processor)”. I genuinely didn’t want to post it on craigslist, along with the other wonderful conveniences of a modern American kitchen, and wanted to secretly pack it between Noah’s underwear or something. I knew she used that processor, loved that processor and it made life so much easier, more harmonious and efficient and also quite tasty. I know you’re saying “Hold up, Taylor, It’s just a food processor.”  And it is. But it represents a whole bunch of the conveniences that they are all giving up. It seems like such a shame to be getting rid of those wonderful appliances that we invested in, utilized and enjoyed for the past few years. But it isn’t. They are things that have been willingly sacrificed by the team for the cause of something so much better. I continued taking pictures while praying especially for the women on the team as they  are giving up the worldly comforts that God let them have for a time and also requested that God would bless them with other worldly comforts, if it is within His will, when they move to Georgia. It is our duty as brothers and sisters to the whole team to be in prayer for peace and joy to abound in them in a time of sacrifice of not only material things, but of a comforting environment, close contact with friends, steady lives and jobs, and the list goes on. Furthermore I’m challenged and am praying for peace and joy to abound in me as life keeps coming my way and God blesses me with opportunities to also sacrifice comforts (in different ways) in order to bring him glory in the savage, dangerous land of po-dunkville College Station, Texas as I interact with the unreached students at Texas A&M. I encourage you too, whoever is reading, that as life is moving ever-forward to follow the example for us in Hebrews 11:13-16.

¹³All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. ¹⁴People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. ¹⁵If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Note: Dear Readers, this blog was written with comedic and sarcastic overtones meant to add entertainment to my chronicling of the happenings within the CHP team and are meant in no way to offend or be disrespectful. If you are concerned about anything I have written herein or unsure of whether a statement was comical or if I really believe erroneously (i.e. that two birds with one stone is a parable of Jesus) please feel the freedom to contact me.