The Practice of Packing

Practically without exception in my life, packing for major trips has always reduced me to tears. There is something about trying to fit your life's belongings into X number of suitcases, keeping them within certain weight limits, and coming to the end of your last one and realizing you still have various and sundry items that need to be tucked away ... somewhere ... !!

On top of that is the unspoken weight of the forthcoming goodbyes that lingers like a cloud over your head ... the whining of your children who don't understand all that is going on and who react to the uncertainty by clinging and testing the limits of their parents' patience ... and the nervousness of actually getting everything to the airport and everyone into the airplane and doing so without forgetting anything and/or losing someone along the way ...

In our case, we are so fortunate to be doing all this within the four walls of a home that has seen many such scenarios. My mom has been both my faithful encourager and my strict taskmaster to keep plugging away at packing and organizing for our big day. She has done this more times that she can count! In fact, I remember as a girl sitting among the mess in my bedroom before leaving on furlough, and bawling my eyes out until Mom arrived to help me make order of chaos. It has always been just so overwhelming to me!

Anyway ... if you happen to read this post and feel empathy, perhaps you are just the person to say a special prayer that God would make me a little more like my mother and would enable me to get this job done. Because ready or not, the clock is ticking and Tuesday will be here before I know it!