I'm shattered!

That's British for exhausted.  I need to start integrating the lingo again so I don't experience too much culture shock come September 18.

Crap.  That date's coming fast.

I had a garage sale today to help raise money for my trip.  ((Is it considered a "trip" when you'll be gone for 6 months or possibly a year?))  I had wonderful people donate some items (like Brandi and Dani -- THANK YOU!!!) and my friend Carla came over with her three kids to help me organize and price.  They were life savers!  Yet as hard as we all worked, my mom and I were still up pretty much all night finishing up.  It was a mess this morning, attempting to set up while people kept trying to sort through boxes that needed to be unpacked.  We were able to drive the earliest birds away (the 5:30-6:00 ones), but by 6:30 there was no holding the masses back.  The two microwaves and 1/3 of the furniture we set out was gone before 7:30!

My parents and grandma were HUGE blessings.  Definitely couldn't have done it all without them!  My grandma's nature is to serve; if she's not able to help you by doing something, then she doesn't feel the love flowing.  So I put her to work sewing up seams that needed stitching, reattaching heads to stuffed animals, and cleaning small appliances to make them presentable to sale.  One of the fancy dresses she mended I decided to keep after all.  Ya never know when you need a dressy dress!

It was a good experience over all.  A bit overwhelming at first and I pretty much agreed to whatever deals people wanted to cut.  But after an hour or so I got my bearings and was able to negotiate more.  And then I decided I really didn't want to have too much stuff left over and was more concerned with getting rid of things.  My parents donated an extra china cabinet and a damaged entertainment center and I was happy that they were both bought and taken off our hands!  Well, the entertainment center is still in the driveway and I really hope the lady who already paid for it comes back for it . . . and that someone who didn't pay for it doesn't take it . . .  We tried to move it back into the garage or at least into the backyard, but it was IMPOSSIBLE.  I don't want to be the one to move it again!

Overall, we made enough to pay for most of my plane ticket!  Or to live comfortably over there for almost 2 months; uncomfortably for 3 months.  And I've been blessed to have people donate money without me having to ask for anything.  It's encouraging to know that God really is providing as I step out in faith!  

The driving force behind me having a garage sale to begin with came from Luke 18, when Jesus tells the rich ruler that in order to inherit eternal life he must sell everything he owns and give to the poor.  It seriously came to mind every single day until I finally sucked it up and did it.  And because I felt God leading me to do it, there was such an abundance of grace to get me through the past few days.  Granted, it's a daily battle not to let my fears get the best of me, but I'm learning how to trust Him more and more each day.