A moving post

Just to clarify, that is NOT us.

Or if it is us, then what’s going on behind the boxes is quite likely to NOT be mirroring what you see on the outside.

If you were to look REALLY carefully, perhaps you would see tiny little drops of salty liquid dripping down from under the boxes.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen [and blog trolls!] we move home in three days…

A MOVING MARRIAGE

Which technically will be the eighth time in coming up to seven years of marriage that we have done this moving thing.

Started off in Stellenbosch – then temporarily to my mate Dunc and Meg and Connor and Ryan’s house – then Philadelphia – then Duncan’s house/temporary spot in Oakland – then permanent spot in Oakland – then Dunc – then Ro and Adi and Aaleyah and Zahara in Tokai – then Southfield… and on to Ro and Adi and Aaleyah and Zahara in Bergvliet…

And the best part is that this is a temporary move because we could not find a more permanent spot before we had to be out of our current place by the end of the month.

In the ‘How to have a solid marriage’ courses around the world, this is not near the top on the ‘Recommended practices’ list of things to try and inject into your marriage.

Quite possibly, because this is a more accurate depiction of how this goes…

He is moving under there… ever so slightly…

Or more accurately perhaps, something like this…

Okay maybe not quite that bad, but somewhere in the middle.

We don’t do transition of the moving type so well.

Or, to make it more personal and disclosury, i don’t do transition of the moving type so well. i get snappy and irritable and frustrated and overwhelmed and tired and it is not pretty.

TIL DEPTH [of boxes] DO US PART

It is super ridiculously harder knowing that we are moving to move again. And despite just how much crap we have been able to get rid of [bags and boxes of it] there still seems to be so much left.

That inexplicable box of stuff you can’t throw away, yet knowing full well that it is going to stay in a box untouched probably until you die.

My common line is ‘Just Throw It Away Without Looking Inside’ because then we won’t know what is in it and will never care, but inevitably tbV will open it or i will… and it becomes the box that can’t be thrown away [of stuff we will never use or look at before we die].

WITH GREAT PRIVILEGE

However, in between the moments of meltdown, it is good to reflect on a few important-to-remember things:

# We have had an incredible place to stay, that we have loved and that has helped us as a couple and also given us the space we desired to host important meal conversations with people.

# We have a temporary place to go to and never at any point was there the risk that we would end up on the pavement or in a hostel – i can think of four families besides our own who have willingly opened their houses to us

# We won’t be doing this alone – friends and family will be showing up on what we hope will be a Good Friday [you are welcome to join!] to let us use their vehicles and person-power to help us shift all our stuff [which includes 500 yet-to-be-sold books that i wrote which is you put them into boxes is a lot of books].

# Rain is predicted for Friday, the day of our moving [that’s just to keep us from getting cocky i think]

i am reminded of these verses in the Bible:

¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. [Matthew 6.19-21, NIV]

Or as the Message paraphrase puts it:

^19-21 “Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.

i’m convinced that the currency of heaven is people, and that at the end of the day it is only people that count. Possessions and things are useful when they can be used to encourage and challenge and inspire us and others around us to live better and to be more effective in improving the lives of those around us. This is a super helpful time to be reminded of that.

What kind of treasure are you storing up in the world? If a fire, earthquake or sharknado [it’s in the movies, it must be true!] were to completely destroy all the “stuff” you own… and it was just you left, and the people you love… how much treasure would you feel like you still had with you? 

Hopefully, by Saturday morning, this will be a Truth:

At least until we find our new place to stay and have to do it all again…