Clint just asked me if I was buying any new camera equipment as 'this is a once in a lifetime trip, mom' ...
I responded by telling him where I'd be leaving my will, banking info and life insurance papers in case I died while away. (Fingers crossed that no one important is on our flight.) Reminded them that I'd like everyone to sing How Great Thou Art at my service. And my ashes are to spread at Cultus.
Isn't this a happy post?
I guess death has been on my mind this week. My boss's wife died unexpectedly while he was out of town at a conference. She was fine and then she wasn't. She went to the hospital at midnight because of a bad cough, then she was gone before the morning. And wow. That just shakes a person up ten ways from Sunday.
You never know.
So. Be ready.
Get yer crap figgered out; make things right with loved ones, every. single. day.
And have a talk with God. If you don't know Him - don't wait any longer. Say, "Hi. I need to know You... Let's talk."
I'm serious. Do it.
You just don't want to take a chance with something big like eternity. Or Life After Death.
Also?
Clean up your room everyday so that your mom (or your children) won't have to sort through your things after you're gone.
And all that crap? The magazines, broken computer bits, old TV's, VHS tapes, ice skates from 1972 and photos of people no one remembers? Get rid of it all this Saturday. Don't leave it for someone else to deal with after you're gone. Let them grieve, and not worry about your out of date prescription meds and expired salad dressings.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
End of rant. On to other things:
1. Saw this article on Facebook this evening.
Five Good Churches in Vancouver. Worth reading, I'd say.
2. I have a Facebook friend who is walking The Way (all 775k) by herself right now. In absolute awe of her undertaking. Part of me would like to do this.
3. In anticipating of the thousands of pics I'll be uploading to my laptop regularly while away, I've been culling the ones I currently have on here. And before I leave, I'll take everything off and save it to an external hard dive. But of course, that in itself is not a large enough project, so I'm making photo books for 2014 and 2015 while I'm at it. I've made it to June 2014. But I'm going to be out every night til I leave, so I may have to give up sleep for the next 7 nights. Because I'm dumb like that.
4. I can't find my external hard drive. The one with photos from 2005 - 2011. I am not panicking.
5. I just bought 11 books for my Kindle. But I don't have a converter or adapter for plugging things in, while in Vietnam. I am sucking at prioritizing.
6. I am blogging instead of organizing all the papers I've printed for this trip. Visas, reservation confirmations, electronic flight tickets. Just a great big mess on my bed.
7. Did I mention that my boss's wife died? Unexpectedly? That is sitting with me. Actually, it's sitting ON me. On my chest. A heaviness of heart.
8. This upcoming trip will be the first time I've been away from work for more than 5 days. I will be gone three weeks. That means it's been frantic busy in my department these past two weeks. And it will be crazy nuts in my office these next two working days. I hope I can stay focused. Because I am easily distracted lately.
9. I attended an AA meeting in Vancouver last night. So many stories of hope were shared. But, oh man, the pain in the journey before the healing starts... heart wrenching. It was a cake night - we were celebrating 20 years of sobriety. I sat beside a young gal (my kids' age) who was 6 months sober and struggling. We chatted for awhile about her job, her dreams, and then, later in the meeting, to her surprise, she was asked to share. I ached for her as she talked but was so proud of her transparency and her commitment.
Addiction. It's a horrible thing.
I just read Corey Haim's Wikipedia page, and I am sad for the battle he lost. Makes me, more than ever, committed to praying for those struggling.
10. I just updated my Instagram account. SERIOUSLY. I need to get off the computer.
1. I still have four days to get my crap together.
2. I work with good people who'll cover for me while I'm away.
3. Vietnam and Cambodia have internet connections.
4. Friends who like to dive deep in conversations.
5. (Almost) daughters who ask, "You free for dinner any night this weekend?"
6. Friends who play on swings.
7. Random swings on Vancouver trees. (See Instagram.)
8. New bras that were designed by engineers. The girls are back up where they should be.
9. Mechanics who've got my truck in good running order again. Oil. Lube. Transmission flush. Filters. Tires. The whole bill was less than those two bras.
10. New curling iron. My last one stopped getting hot. And finding a new one wasn't easy. I guess no one uses them anymore? Straightening irons are the new thing? I may have to go pick up a life time supply.
Shalom, friends.
xo
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