Mother Laura has posted a perfectly timed Friday Five for me. And for her as well. "Marvels and madness," indeed!
We are right in the middle of a move--only twenty minutes away, but we're still a mix of busy, excited, nervous and surprisingly full of grief about what we're leaving, for me at least. So this week's Friday Five asks about your experience of the marvels and madness of moving...
1. How many times have you moved? When was the last time?
I was just thinking about this last night: my parents lived in the same house for 37 years, so I never moved until college. And I've hardly stopped since. I've moved (houses, if not necessarily entire locations) three times in the past four years and I'm ready for some longer-term stability. We're moving right now and I can't wait until it's over.
2. What do you love and hate about moving?
Love: sorting out and clearing out stuff. Hate: SO MUCH DAMN WORK. HATE packing. Hate that last stage where there's just a bunch of little random items laying around and so you just throw them in a box because you can't stand it anymore and you just want to get the hell out. Aaargh.
3. Do you do it yourself or hire movers?
So far, entirely by ourselves. This move we'll pack ourselves and have professionals do the actual moving bit. Slight improvement.
4. Advice for surviving and thriving during a move?
Don't do it.
Or, if you can't help yourself: keep a sense of humor and remember that moving brings out the worst in people. It will be over.
5. Are you in the middle of any inner moves, if not outer ones?
Inner and outer: am six weeks into new call, husband is still in Old City, house is on market in terrible economy, can't buy new one until old one is sold, waiting for all moving to settle down before making decision about how to have a baby given infertility circumstances...
everything in our lives is moving. Transition central.
Bonus: Share a piece of music/poetry/film/book that expresses something about what moving means to you.
I don't have any music or poetry, just a prayer:
Lord God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Amen, amen, and amen.
Not as Digital as I Thought
1 day ago
6 comments:
Oh, wow, what a lot you're dealing with too--and baby grief on top of it. Prayers on all counts.
Not sure where you are on the west coast but if it's anywhere near Southern California maybe we could get together sometime...
I love that prayer. Actually good for every morning, come to think of it.
You have so much going on! Be kind to yourself. I know what you mean about the little stuff at the end that gets you -- that could almost be a metaphor for ministry, couldn't it? Sometimes we just have to forgive ourselves for the boxful of leftover junk at the end of the day.
AMEN.
I hope all the moving and transition ends soon, and you can rest.
(((shalom)))
Wow - prayers for your journey! And what a lovely prayer to close with. It reminds me of the Thomas Merton prayer, about not being able to see the road ahead.
Best wishes to you on your journey,
warriormare
oh, I LOVE that prayer!!!!.
and praying for you.
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