It's Moving Day!

It's finally Friday and Bekins has arrived on time and prepared to load us up! They actually came by yesterday to load my "baby"...... the grand piano. After knocking a hole in the bedroom wall, they decided they needed to break until today. Of course, Don, the driver and foreman of the group, is fixing the wall. No worries.

I finished my part. Packing a total of 65 boxes. It has been alot of work, and I think unpacking in the townhouse will be a bit like going shopping! All my pretty things will take on alittle different look and make our new place feel like home. They plan to unload me on Monday (a change from the Sunday date). I will have exactly a week to work around the place and take care of business before starting to work at Emory.

I must confess to being a bit tearful everyday this week. I'm sure fatigue plays a role in this, but also, closing one chapter to open a new one can be bittersweet. I have tried to see as many of my friends as I can, but it was impossible to talk to everyone. To you all, I don't say good bye, but "see ya later". There is an open invitation to come and visit Atlanta and stay with us, and I will always try to see you when I come "home" to Little Rock.

This one's for you, Judith!

Thanks John and Judith for a great dinner and great conversation! You guys are true friends and I couldn't have made it without your support and your friendship and your prayers. I look forward to having you come to Atlanta.

Today my prayers have been for provision and safety as things wrap up for the move now just a day away. I prayed that God would provide for me just as He does for even the tiniest of his creatures. When I was telling my sister about my prayer, I looked on my deck to see a sparrow eating a worm. What a visual from God! God does provide, and commands that we not worry about what we eat, what we wear, or any of the other minutia that could keep us from focusing on Him. I just continue t0 walk in faith and look forward to telling you all about the other side of this move.

Breaking Free

I just finished the book BREAKING FREE by Beth Moore. It has been a life changing book for me to study and apply the concepts to my life. The book's purpose is to lead the reader to the victory of total surrender in Christ. I started this book in January and took my time to read and study each chapter, looking up scripture, praying for insight, and applying the truths to my heart. Early on I experienced healing and forgiveness for past hurts, failures, and sins. Satan so wants us to live in the past, feeling guilt, having nagging thoughts of self destruction and self pity. God, however, wants us to experience His unending love and mercy. He wants to "set the captive free" (Isaiah 61:1-4).To live in total surrender to Christ brings real freedom and liberty in life. Because I am totally surrendered to Christ, I have a completely satisfied life in Him and know no greater love. Through this healing, God has led me on this journey that takes me to Atlanta. I know that He wants me to move beyond the places where I experienced so much hurt, sin, and wrongdoing . Both spiritually and physically I am moving on and Breaking Free!

Liene and Me

Feeling pretty overwhelmed with all this packing and ready to quit! The highlight of today was dinner with Liene, Lane, and Eriks. Thanks Liene for the great pasta dish. I brought home a bottle of the Tuttle wine special. I'm letting this bottle age for awhile. The first bottle was their Christmas gift to me and I drank it in celebration when I returned from Atlanta. It was a great red wine they bottled themselves. Lane, you should consider the wine country when you retire!

Eriks

Today was a fun day with Eriks Tuttle, the cute 4 year old son of Lane and Liene. I had fun shopping for toys at Target, watching him throw rocks in the river, chasing him over the bridge, and "wrapping him up" to pack in the boxes for Atlanta (Liene, if he is missing, you know where to find him). It was a nice break from the constant packing of the past week. I did manage to get a few more boxes packed along with giving away a bed to some nice girls from Harding who need furniture for their new apartment. With this morning's prayertime I was asking God to bless me more so I could bless others more. I hope at the end of today, that is just what I could do. I know that I was blessed in lots of ways today.

I feel like if I pack anything else, it will have to be me!

Entry One!

Welcome Spring.....a time of change, renewal, color, sunshine......This Spring brings many changes: a move to Atlanta, a new job, a blossoming career, sunny green colors on the trees, joy.

Packing is underway for the big move in one week. Today I packed all the photos of my children. It is so tender to see their big smiles when they were so young. They are still very precious to me. It is hard to close a chapter of my life in that now they are adults. Where did the years go? I feel a paing inside my chest as I look over the pictures and wonder if I missed something. They grew up so fast. There are still so many good years ahead I refuse to have any regrets.

I'm surrounded by boxes. The things I love are in boxes waiting to arrive in Atlanta. I will be glad to get to the unpacking side of this move. I wonder what my things will look like in the new townhouse.

Lawson and I had our last Iriana's pizza for awhile. We sat next to the window and watched the trolley's go by. He is looking forward to the move but admits being alittle nervous. I must admit the same.

Isaiah 41:10 says "Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not look around, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you; surely I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." I am claiming this promise in the days ahead, with all their uncertainties, with all their excitement.
Moving to a new city, alone, but not. God is with me!