Time...

For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to a hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. -Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

This has always been a favorite verse of mine.  I believe in it to my core.  I believe my life is going to be filled with good times, bad times, times of plenty, times of want, times of sickness, times of health, times of happiness and times of sorrow.  I believe that if I am living the life God intended me to live that I will experience every emotion, not just good and not just bad.  For me believing this verse has given me peace in my life when changes come.  I trust that what God says is true so big things like moving to China don't shake me... too bad.  It does not make it easier to say good bye to friends and family.  But it has made this whole moving process easier.  I think that believing this verse and that God is in control of my life has given me the peace to move to China with my whole heart and hopefully make an impact for God in China.  

I believe that is why God is moving me there...not be a lady of leisure or a lady who lunches, but  He is moving me to China to be a lady who takes the grace, mercy and light God has given me and spread it to others, not keep it to myself.

 So I praise God that He has blessed me with the ability to quit my job early, because this packing and house cleaning is no joke!  And I know that not everyone would be able to do that.  I know that it is a blessing and I praise and bless God for blessing me with the gift of time right now.  It is something that I am trying to use wisely, by spending times with friends and family and then also packing and cleaning.  So please remember to praise God in the good times and the bad times because He is with us all the time. 

p.s. here is an updated picture of my packing!  added 4 more boxes today, even had to move our big green chair to make way for more boxes! ☺