drum roll, please

shipping drum
almost packed for Haiti!

Or maybe we should sing "Roll Out the Barrel."

Call it a drum, call it a barrel - whatever it is, it's almost packed.  Almost ready to be shipped to Haiti.  Here's hoping it arrives before Christmas!  The barrels we sent in July are still sitting in customs in Port-au-Prince, so we hear, so I'm not going to look for it before Thanksgiving, anyway.  Still, the reality of my upcoming move is brought home by the impending departure of this giant turquoise soup can.

I, on the other hand, still have quite a number of other things to take care of before I can get myself off and running.  Make dentist appointment - check.  Inoculations - one left.  Medical check-ups - this week.  Stare at my room and say, "How the heck am I going to decide what to keep and what to give away?" - check.  Start another "to do" list - check.  Begin sorting things - check.  Look at four-drawer file cabinet full of eleven years of file folders and close eyes - check. 

Papers. Too many pieces of paper.  I'd consider using a blowtorch to clear them out if I weren't quite sure that amidst sermon prep materials and old seminary papers a winning lottery ticket is hiding.  Of course, having never bought one, I might be wrong about that.

But I'm moving right along here.  I'm not quite sure whether to dance with excitement, have a panic attack, or acknowledge I have too much to do to manage more than a little of each!  Fortunately I have the Daily Office and our daily Eucharist each morning to keep me grounded, as well as the regular round of work in the sacristy and in the house.  One step closer. 

Who thinks I can finish all this before the end of the month? 

With mortals (at least this one), it is impossible, but for God, all things are possible.

Now, to learn to cooperate with the One who brought order out of chaos and who will surely do the same again.