Weighing in

It's down to crunch time. The bags are weighed and tip in just under 50 lbs. If the airport disagrees there's a little space in my carry-on. Now to load the car, run by the office, connect with our driver, and go to the airport. Oh, and a final sidebar trip to the chiropractor for my husband.

A co-worker arrived to take over the house for the first two weeks while she is in town. Two teen girls are with her and a little boggled that anyone would be leaving for China for five weeks. Doesn't take much to impress kids, does it? This is a chance for them to stretch their world as they care for little ones in town with their parents for preparation to go overseas. Neither girl has ever left the country and they are eager to meet people who have.

On my side, it's far easier to leave the house "alive" than packed up. When our co-worker leaves, the guy next door takes over. Nothing like a Ford Co. line supervisor to keep your place in shape! Daily, he takes in the mail and deposits it neatly in my study, then checks the house with a quick walk-through, changes the blinds in various doors and windows, and runs his truck up and down the driveway. Since we're gone a lot, he gets a workout, but since he's retired, this has added some meaning to his life. Some day we hope the meaning will go as far as his heart, but right now it's just good deeds. I won't complain about good deeds though, because he's a gift to these too mobile people.

Soon we'll be on a plane heading to the other side of the world. New sounds, smells, feel to the air. New language, food, beds, neighborhood. The familiar of this place will give way to the familiar of another spot. A shady street of low-rise apartments, families walking, grannies with little ones, people with tiny Beijing size dogs, ping pong in the alleys, ice cream across the street and coke down the way. Despite the face that we are smack against a university we sense more of a family neighborhood until we actually walk on campus down the block. Then the students are everywhere.

Challenges ahead that we will not know till we get there, but that's what keeps us going back, and that's what is interesting. More opportunities to lean hard into the Lord and let Him be in control. I tend to try to run the world so maybe this is God's way of reminding me regularly that it's none of my business to run the world.

It's His. Take over, Lord.