A time of Paradox

I'm not sure exactly how to explain to you the place we're in right now...very likely because I'm not exactly sure how to explain it to myself. We are in the midst of a time of paradoxes. We are feeling joy and pain, peace and frustration, patience and anxiety, all of which we are experiencing at the same time. At the moment probably the thing that is provoking these feelings most is experiencing so many "lasts". But the paradox comes in that in experiencing these lasts, they by nature mean we are experiencing firsts.

One of the "lasts" we are experiencing now is this is our last week in our home. There is pain in that as we sell or otherwise get rid of the majority of our stuff. Someone just walked out the door with mine and Carolyn's bed, a couple weeks ago we got rid of our beloved trampoline, Alex's loft bed was taken last weekend...just to name a few. But as we walk out the door of removing so many of our possessions from our lives at the same time we are walking into the door of readjusting our priorities. "OK, I guess I don't really need a trampoline or bed to be happy". (By the way, I did tell the kids they could still go and jump up and down on the rocks where the trampoline used to be). The box we need for what we consider a true need or truly important is becoming smaller and smaller.

Another last we experienced just yesterday was the last trip to the Denver Zoo, at least for a few years. God really blessed our day as a family and it was something we really needed, as the busyness of the move has stripped us of any family down time. Not that we are that attached to the zoo but it just won't be an option anymore. But it was fun to discuss with the kids their feelings and how this is all impacting them. We are all in agreement that some of these modern "luxuries" and conveniences will be missed but we are also collectively excited about the unknown adventure that awaits us. All of these earthly things that excite and woo us are so easily replaced by the next best thing. I think what we are most looking forward to are the experiences and relationships and moments that impact our hearts that no one could predict or dream of until they happen...and experience them together.

Evaluating what's really important

It's about time we started our blog and let anyone who wants to be in on our exciting journey as it unfolds. Any of you that may be reading this and may not know anything about what we are doing I will give you a quick version. We are a family of 6 and we are moving to Phnom Penh, Cambodia for a position I took with Asian Hope (http://www.asianhope.org/). The 6 of us are comprised of Dan, Carolyn, Alex (14), Abby(12), Calli(9), and Cameron (4). I will coment more on this as our journey progresses. Right now we are all getting ready to move out of our house on Feb 28th and move in with my (Dan) parents. They live about 30 min south of us so we will try to keep life as normal as possible for us and the kids in the transition period. It is such a trip going through 15 years of stuff we've kept. Who would hold on to a suitcase that has a broken handle and a zipper that doesn't work? Me for one. It is so cool to be able to go through all of our stuff and separate it into stuff we need and stuff we don't need. We actually have 4 "categories" that we filter all of our stuff into. They are trash, Goodwill, things we want to keep but not bring with to Cambodia and things we want to bring. Since we can't bring much with I am thrilled to say the first 2 categories receive the most contributions (the aforementioned suitcase made it into the trash category). The "keep but not bring" category is mostly sentimental things that have no real practical value. Like artwork from the kids' early years, matching sweaters Carolyn and I got on our honeymoon (I know, we were REAL cool back then). We won't need those in a tropical climate, and maybe when we move back they will actually be somewhat in style again.

Then our final category (stuff we're bringing) gets the most scrutiny. Each of us are going to get 2 18 gallon Rubbermaid containers to fill with whatever can be put in there and that is pretty much it. Clothes, books a few special decorative items, some toys for the little guy and personal electronics for the other kids. Its this category that seems to reveal most about each of us. What do we value most when a cap is put on what we can hold on to. So far I think Cameron has demonstrated the greatest amount of faith in the whole process. When I asked what he wanted to bring, all he wanted was his "New Niney" (his special blanket). Thats it. As long as he knows he is with his fam, he really doesn't need much else. What a cool attitude and an example.

And as our house seems less and less like "ours" we are all realizing what is really most important. All 6 of us are realizing that home is not characterized by the house you live in or where all of your stuff is but "home" is who you are with. So as many of our "posessions" are let go of we are seeming to hold on to each other tighter. There is something cool and somewhat unexplainable that happens as all 6 of us are united around one common vision. Each of us experience sadness and question what in the world we are thinking at times but then there are usually atleast 4 or 5 that are there to encourage. During this time we also thank all of you for taking time to share in this journey and being an encouragement to us in so many different ways. It means more to us than you may ever know. God Bless!

A quick comment on the pictures. They are of the truck ready for the 27th trip in 2 weeks to Goodwill (may be a slight exaggeration), the Rubbermaids that will make the trip with us to Cambodia, Abby, Calli and Cameron in and empty art niche as we "declutter". Sorry about the duplicate picture...still trying to work on the formatting.

By the way, you can watch an informative video of Asian Hope at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiYEhNA0pWg. Enjoy!!