Two weeks and counting down for Amanda to be moved to her apartment.  Things aren’t exactly ready.  The current challenge is getting staffing lined up for her.  Through her community support agency, she has been approved for seven to nine hours of staffing each day.  (We’re still waiting for the official word on that.)  We have an agency that is supposed to be working on lining up her staff people.  I guess that’s why I am dragging my heels still.  She’s not moving unless we have the staff lined up to help her, otherwise I will be her staff and I’m doing that at home here already.  Doesn’t make sense to move her and have me there every day to tend to things.  That’s what we’re trying to get away from.

I am an organizer.  I am trying to organize this move.  I want everything packed, purchased, scheduled, and ready to fall perfectly into place on the designated moving day.  Doing things last-minute is not my style.

My husband Ted, however, is comfortable doing things all in good time.  He doesn’t plan out (or worry) when things need to be done.  He just does them. 

For example …

Remember those oak trees previously mentioned in another blog?  They tend to drop tree ‘stuff’ in the spring onto the roof as well as acorns in the fall, along with the falling leaves.  That stuff clogs the gutters.  When it rains the gutters overflow.  It’s a mess. 

Ted is so good about cleaning the gutters out.  There have been numerous stormy nights when we begin to hear the pouring rain on our roof and Ted leaps up to clean the gutters.  Oh yes, he puts on a rain jacket (well sometimes) and goes out to the garage, pulls out the big ladder, and gets on the roof in the pouring rain (with the thunder and lightning crashing around him) and he gets those gutters clean!  I simply pray for his safety while he’s out there and wait for the sound of a loud “thud” before I check on him and get the phone ready to dial 9-1-1.

My neighbor knows how good Ted is about keeping the gutters clean.  With her husband working a midnight shift, she depends on her dogs to help her feel safe at night.   Late one stormy evening, the dogs started barking at a lurking shadow they sensed in the far side yard.  My poor neighbor nervously peeked through the window blinds, noticed the outline of a man propping a ladder against our garage and then quickly relaxed as she told me later, “Oh – I realized it was only Ted, out to clean his gutters!”

I wish I could sometimes be more like Ted and not fret about things.  He always gets things done in time and without the days and weeks of preparatory planning.  Besides, if I truly trust God with Amanda’s move, then I must simply be patient while everything works itself out.  >gulp<

Ted cleaned out the gutters today.  It’s not raining.  Hmm.  Odd.

The gutters and even the front downspout were full of acorns.  I wonder if he’s feeling anxious too?

Luke 12:25  ²⁵ Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? ²⁶ Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

I will try not to worry.  I will try to be patient.  I will try to have faith that it will all work out. 

But if it’s storming out, I’m NOT getting up on the roof.

just Laurel

By the way …

Had a little photo session today with a wonderful girl, Julienne Floetke, who took pictures of me for the back cover of my book.  Here are some favorites: