How do you measure time?

Time. It's an interesting thing if you think about how you measure it. Yes, I know there are 24 hours in a day. Seven days in a week. Yea, yea, I know all that. But, I've caught myself considering a different measurement for time lately. Knowing that we'll be moving back to the states in late April, I've started to view time a little different. None of my new measuring has been intentional - that's what so interesting. I've just found myself repeating the same phrase "before we leave" over and over in reference to time. Here's some of the things I've measured differently.

Lotion - We just opened our last bottle of Cetafil from the states. I found myself wondering if it would last until late April or if we needed to request our next team to bring a bottle. How many bottles of Cetafil do you use in 77 days?

Soap - I used to buy multiple bars of Dove soap at the Metro Store, but considering the time we have left here, I thought it best to only buy what I would need. How many bars of soap do I use a month?

Chocolate Chips - The pantry is almost bare of chocolate chips! How should I spread out my batches of cookies between now and the return to the states?

Orchids - Both of my orchids are in full bloom right now. Everyone talks about how "hard" they think they are - but they are wrong. I want to give them to someone who will really enjoy them, but I want to enjoy them myself as long as I can. So when would be best for me to give them away and still enjoy them for a bit longer?

Bounce Dryer Sheets - I realized I had more of these than I would need. I've been cutting them in half, but I was thrilled to find out I can throw a full sheet in even if I wash and dry clothes every day - no counting needed for this one. One time revealed an abundance!

K-Cups - no more counting days here - they are all gone! Now, it's how many days since I've had one.

Starbucks - I've almost threatened Tim not to fix one more cup of coffee daily than he intends to drink. That Starbucks has to last!!!!!!

Friends - when will be the last visit and how many visits can I have before then?

Worship with English singers - How many more Sundays do I have to wait to sing worship songs with a church full of English singers? I'm counting them down!

Well, you get the idea. Time can be measured in many ways. How do you measure it these days?

SELLING IT ALL - AGAIN!!

This week has been a bit of a surprise. A good one. But, a surprise nevertheless.

We've been casually working on photos and a list of things we need to sell in preparation for moving back to the states. In order not to give this more attention than we should, we've worked for about a month giving it about an hour a day. Finally, Wednesday, I had the blog ready for the public. Only a couple of people knew about it earlier than that. Within about an hour of making it public, we had lots of requests for items! We were both really thankful - but honestly, surprised. We thought it would take a while! But, almost everything is gone or purchased (and will be gone just before we leave). We're thanking the Lord for this detail that could have been a pain and hindered the work we have to do before we leave.

I want to share two personal things about "Selling it all - again"! (Don't write me with a spiritual lesson - this is simply a personal perspective. Not right or wrong).

1) Is it like a freeing-up emotionally?

People have asked "Isn't it somehow freeing to sell everything?". I wondered about this as we sold everything to move here. Tim thought it was. I tried to agree. Maybe it freed us up from the responsibility of keeping things cared for. But, we didn't let things dominate us in the states or here. We were grateful for what we had and we tried to make it available for whatever use God wanted of it. For me, selling everything in Greensboro meant walking away from a home where we were able to reach out to our community and our church family. We had more guests in that home for meals than I can count. I stood at the stove with a dozen young women teaching them how to make gravy. We had my staff over once each year and enjoyed fellowship on the deck in the swing, glider and chairs. I had a corner in the yard where I had laid concrete blocks myself where I would sit and meditate and spend time with my precious Lord. Was I willing to leave those things? Absolutely! Do I regret it? Absolutely not!

But, was is freeing for me? No it wasn't. The memories of that life are precious beyond measure. The last 3 years have been precious and praise God I haven't gotten attached to too many things here. (The Bernina will go back to the states with me - and Tim, of course! The order doesn't indicate importance.)

Honestly, things are just things. If getting rid of them "frees" us up, there was a problem! Could have been abundance, over-indulgence, debt .... any number of things. I don't think it freed me up because I wasn't connected to them. I miss some of them mainly because of the memories I made using them. So the things, were good things, good gifts from God for a season in our lives. Not attachments so no freeing feelings!

2. Is is easier to get rid of things the second time?

NO! It isn't easier. We have less to get rid of this time and honestly, our things aren't as valuable as much of what we gave away the first time. I have to work not to begrudge the expense of taking things back to the states that we would have to buy again. It's not easier because in the simplest of terms what we're doing is "starting over". And starting over at 57 isn't easy. Especially in a bad economy! Ok Marsha ..... you're getting off subject!

What has been so interesting to me is that the things I have the most difficulty giving up are not the things you might expect. I still haven't gone through all my fabric - yes, fabric! I can't afford to take it back to the states. I have a plan to give it to a ministry here that will use it. But, as I attempt to go through it, it evokes so many memories. One piece from a trip Tammy and I made to MaryJo's. Another that Darla and I bought in Black Mountain (I think that's where it was). And, the greens from Peggy - oh, how Peggy and I love green! I have the things that Tara sent (thankful that she listened to me and held onto some of them). And even have the left-over blocks someone started in the states and sent here. They have been added to 2 projects done here, and I still have some to share. Then there are the things from Grandmother Lowder (thank you Selma and Mary Ann). And, what to do with the drapery fabrics that Angela and I have used for so many things here. The scraps with jeeps on it Dalese used for Jonathan's quilt. (And all that binding we made before she changed her mind). Some fabric will go back with me - like the scraps from Sarah & Michael's double wedding ring quilt. Every piece of fabric has a memory. They are hard to give up, hard to leave behind.

Is selling it all freeing? For me, it hasn't been because I don't think I am tied to them. I'm tied to the memories they evoke, the people they bring to mind. I don't connect with the things as much as I connect with the thoughts they stir up. I'm grateful for the things no one can take away.

I don't mind selling it all because I don't have to give up the memories. It may not be easy, it's just necessary. We'll start again somewhere. And once again we'll have things to care for. And, we'll make new memories.

Some of you are no doubt wondering about the quilts. No, I'm not selling them. They are things, but they are made of memories that I treasure. Every time I touch the sandwiched fabric of any quilt, it reminds me of the way God has taken the scraps of my life and woven them together - hopefully for His glory. I'm in the final step of the last quilt to be done in Ukraine. It's for Tim. I'm calling it our "Last Trip Around the World". I'll post photos when it's done.

Freeing? No, because I wasn't tied to things.

Easier? No, change like this is just a challenge.

Again? Yep, again! We're on the move!

Details and focus

Ok - I just need to say this! So many details that need to be considered BUT no time to deal with them. There is work to do! Much work to do! I have a conference in 2 weeks that needs (and deserves) my attention. The details have to wait! Or do they? We are so blessed to have a support group within our company that helps with details! We're finding when we put the need out there, someone may already be prepared to cut the work for us in half. I wonder if it's a form of self-interest to hold onto all the "details" as if we're the only one who can take care of them.

What am I learning from this? FOCUS - FOCUS - FOCUS. I spend my time on what I'm focused on. If I focus on the Lord, He'll take care of the details. If I focus on the details .... you get the picture. The enemy wants us to focus on the details. He wants us to be overwhelmed by the details! When our focus changes - refocus! Stop! Close our eyes! Look up! Refocus!

Enough said.

It's official!

Decisions, decisions! It's been a wild ride these last six months. From one day to the next, we didn't know where we would be in a year. We've heard opinions from people all over the world about what we should do. We've seen the "impossible" become the "possible". And, in the end one voice was the only one we needed to hear. It's that same voice that brought us here in the first place - and it's the only voice that really matters to me.

In a little over three months, we'll pack up the few possessions we have and head back across the Atlantic. First stop, Rockledge, Florida where my sister lives. After a couple of weeks, we'll do a road trip through S.C., N.C. and possibly a stop in Georgia before we start the task of finding jobs.

Join me here for updates and for my honest thoughts as I ....marsha, am once again, on the move!