My Lesson about Faith!!!

This journal entry is one that I would like to include because it is a wonderful example of God's grace and protection as I prepared for my two years in Africa:

I am a chef – I attack events by planning things to the must minute detail, I control, control, control so that things turn out exactly as planned. I am good at what I do and revel in an event that has been flawlessly pulled off. This is why having faith in reference to things beyond my control is very hard for me!!!!!

And so goes moving my things into storage – I knew exactly how many days I needed to pack everything up, storage location has been secured, friends lined up to help me move on Saturday am – first thing. I have a plan and things are just going to fly from here on out!!!!

Winter this year in our part of the country has been a summer breeze – literally . . . we have enjoyed 80 degree weather, beautiful sunshine with barely a remembrance of what a rainy day looks like. As I began to pack my apartment, Monday through Wednesday, I would sit on my balcony during my breaks wearing a tank top and shorts. Tuesday morning, I hear my first weather report of the possibility of rain for the weekend. Uh oh . . . I shot off an email to you all – my prayer team and got back to work. This is Texas after all and the weather men are the most highly paid INCORRECT people I’ve ever seen.

By Wednesday night, the doom-filled weather reports were really starting to freak me out!!!! Not only has the forecast for rain increased from 30% to 50%, but a couple added bonuses have been tacked on – additional days filled with rain (Friday through Wednesday) AND the possibility of freezing precipitation. I now have a conversation with my sister Lorrie about having faith. Is it a lack of faith when praying fervently for something to also set up a back-up plan? All of my chef’s training tells me back up plans are necessary to keep an event flowing perfectly and only logical – keep praying, but continue to have a plan “just in case.” I feel I have lost the meaning of faith.

Thursday morning, I call Mom and discuss the “back-up” plan – we decide that the beauty of putting your stuff in storage a month before actually leaving is that there is still time to reschedule the move for a less fearful weekend!!!! To myself, I decide that perhaps God is teaching me a lesson in Patience rather than Faith as this is another issue of mine. I continue packing. Original plan: have everything packed before going to bed Thursday night.

Well – I decide regardless of prayer, the weather isn’t going to hold – I take the night off from packing and watch the Olympics. I get up Friday am, watch the weather – temperatures have now dropped from the day before (85° F) to a brisk 41 degrees!!!! BRRRR –

10 AM – my cousin – my co-planner in this move – called me from work. “Kerry, what’s your back-up plan?” We discuss various options for a few minutes and suddenly, Casey says – I’ve got it!!!! . . . call U-Haul and see if you can schedule the truck for TONIGHT rather than tomorrow . . . we’ll get stuff into the truck as quickly as possible after work and hopefully beat the weather before it gets here. I am awed by Casey’s generosity – he works a hard construction job outside all day and is exuberant to help me move after a 10 hour work day!!!!

Gulp – I should have continued packing last night!!!! I called u-Haul . . . truck was available for immediately pick-up. Called Casey back – he’s got a couple of guys lined up . . . called my friend Scott and updated him on the new plan – he jumped in his car and drove down from Dallas . . . one last stop on the way home before I begin to MADLY finish the last couple of boxes –

I still had to pay for the storage facility. I had done quite a bit of research comparison shopping to make sure I was getting the best deal on storage for this area – it was not going to be cheap. But, worth it . . . I was resigned to pay the big ole check, it would after all, be cheaper than starting over with buying new things when I return . . .

The manager – Crystal – asked me where I was going for two years. I said “Africa” . . . . Crystal – “With a mission?” . . . me – “yes – I’m very excited.” Crystal – “Give me just a second.”

She crunched numbers for a few minutes and then says – “I’ve figured out a way that you can have the storage facility for half price.”

I was dumbfounded . . . We chatted a bit more – her church supports several missionaries and she is on the committee that plans the High School mission trip every summer. She is tickled pink to be able to help “support” me too.

Raced home – packed the last few boxes finishing up just as Scott pulled into the parking lot. We decide to get to work and see how much we can get done before Casey and the guys get here. And, I have learned a tip for moving for the rest of my life --- start with the biggest, heaviest, most difficult piece of furniture that you own . . . it only gets better from there!!!! The couch nearly killed us – but, oh the rest seemed so much easier after that!!!!

Scott and I had half of the trucked packed within an hour – I called in a BBQ order and sent Cherish (Casey’s fiancée) to pick it up. Casey and the guys arrived at the same time as the food . . .Scott and I were starving!!! The guys weren’t hungry yet – so, we sat down to eat while the 2^nd string took over. I kid you NOT! We were not done eating before everything was loaded into the truck! Those guys were so fast – Scott and I decided that we definitely miss being 20!!!!!

Still not raining . . . so, we decide to race over to the storage place and unload. I wish we would have timed it . . . seven of us and we had my stuff unloaded and organized within 10 to 15 minutes!!! AMAZING. We all hop back in the vehicles to head home . . . and it begins to rain. Not hard, but just hard enough to show me that God’s plan is ALWAYS better than MY Plan!!!!!

His plan had me moved before my scheduled wish and just to drive the faith lesson home – left an extra $2000 in my bank account!!!! God is GREAT!!!!

Thank you all for remembering me in your prayers this week!!!!

Kerry :-)