Hand over

Goat transfer via ferry

Last week as we waited for the ferry to head back to our condo, we watched some friends hand off their goat to a purchaser from a different island who took it on the ferry. I must admit that handing over the condo was a lot more difficult. The work involved to get it empty and ready for the tenants was hard and expensive, painters, cleaners, locksmith and new hotwater tap, just a few. We stuffed the remainder of our things in two cars and headed back after handing over the new keys to our first time tenants.

It has been a hard week and we are tired. The piles of stuff wait in our place in the island. As hard as I try to give things away, it doesn't seem to make a dent. We have accumulated too much and this consolidation shows it big time. To make matters worse, the electricity is out in half our cottage, can't be fixed at the circuit breaker and the electrician from another island doesn't hurry for anything. Even the night lights are broken. Now there are just pathways to walk through and barely even a place to sit. The night walking is challenging.

I hand all this over to you, God. We can't handle it ourselves. It is way too stressful. We need your light on us and your strength for the day and even your guidance to the bathroom at night. Thank you for your sense of humor in telling us to take a break and to trust your hand over our lives.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

Stuff

New orchid bud reaching for the sun

Hope in the one cleared space, an orchid in bloom

I’ve been trying to clear everything around me to no avail, even the desk on which to write. As soon as I get it cleared, more stuff stumbles in from the car. We’re clearing out personal stuff from the condo so we can rent it; bringing boxes to our place in the islands. The boxes of stuff form more obstacles to hurdle. Then in the attempt to find more places to put stuff, an old school cabinet stands inside the door awaiting refinishing, drawers and structure competing for what little space there is left.
I can’t get to my computer. The three printers that we own are all in the room as well, hoping that one of them will finally behave itself and scan or print on demand. But no, everything seems to have a life of its own and not helping me one bit.
I saw some progress last Sunday when someone came and took the bed out of the loft so I could make room for filing cabinets and a clothes rack. But with the bed gone, I see the rug needs stretching before I organize the room. Perhaps I just rip it out and have bare floor or just ignore the bump in the rug if I can. Everything is in disarray, not just little bumps in the rug. See why I haven’t written the blog in a bit, no place to write and brain too scattered like the room. Sometimes I think I just need everything cleaned out and start over.

“In the quietness of prayer, let me believe that a simple and determined surrender of my will to Him (Jesus) will bring the heart cleansing (and house order) that I need.” Andrew Murray