Suitcases and Piles

Suitcases and Piles. Suitcases and Piles. I have to admit that I am getting tired of Suitcases and Piles. I didn't realize over a year ago just how much I would be living among Suitcases and Piles. I am not sure that we have had a day, much less a week where there hasn't been some suitcase laying around the house. The suitcases are either being packed or unpacked. I haven't minded the travel, but I have begun to despise the suitcases. It would be one thing if I were a Business Traveler since it would only be my suitcase. But to have suitcases for a family of five laying around, it gets to be a bit of a burdensome sight. At present there are 5 partially packed suitcases in our bedroom, with 2 more in the hallway and one by the kitchen table.

On top of (or next to) the suitcases are the piles. There is a pile of new books in my bedroom, including aa pile of clean clothes (some to be packed in the suitcase), and a pile of magazines. The den and kitchen are the same. There is a pile of things (shoes and clothes) to take to Kenya, a pile of new homeschool curriculum next to the school table, and who knows how many piles of books for the kids, Marti, and myself.

It sure does seem that I am complaining. I am not. I am just giving a written picture of what our apartment looks like right now. I bet it is looks similar to the houses of all our missionary friends who are currently stateside raising support. Suitcases and Piles. Suitcases and Piles.....

Comments

[Andrew]

Boy did you hit the nail on the head!!! One of the biggest things my wife and I look forward to is getting to Brazil, where our lives can "normalize" a little bit, and there will be a place for everything, and everything in it's place.

[Tim]

Ahhh, yes. Everything in it's place. I look forward to that as well. But do things ever "normalize" for a missionary and his family?

[Andrew]

I'm sure they do not 'normalize' in the way your typical, middle-class American thinks of normal. Yet they do seem to develope more of a rountine, and establish a home...something we have not had for almost two years now.

It is difficult for me...it is even harder on my wife. Not trying to whine here, just being realistic.

[Tim]

Yes, I agree. "Normal" has a different definition on the mission field. And I agree that it is particularly difficult for the wives and children. But be encouraged. Even during this chaos, God is glorified when we divert the attention from us on to Him.

[TulipGirl]

Along with the "suitcases and piles" for awhile we had our filing cabinet in the minivan. We needed SOMETHING to keep straight those piles and the medical files while trying to get app'ts taken care of. . . *L*

[Andrew]

I gotta tell you, for all the inconvenience, deputation is fun. It gets tiring at times, but meeting new people, traveling to new places, and seeing God work in amazing ways more than compensate!

[Tim]

I have not resorted to a file cabinet in the trunk, but my little Ford Escort became our "outdoor storage shed" when we moved into a smaller apartment. I didn't realize it could hold so much stuff!