Well, I managed a grand total of 3.5 hours sleep… but I now feel I am almost ready for the packers to arrive. Its 4.21am. I have been up since 2. Little Bess has a streamer of a cold and is wide awake and full of joy and snuffles. She is in my arms as I type (one-handed) in a room that used to be my prayer room.

The house is bare and echoing… all very strange. I guess that my life, at least for the next few weeks, is going to consist of the phrase, “Where on earth is the….?” Wonderfully though, I don’t feel any sense of stress or sadness. It is not because everything is ready… (you should see my kitchen!!!) or because I won’t miss living here. It is just a deep, deep knowing in my spirit that I am in the will and way of God. Nothing else really.

I have made every effort to leave this place well… to have a truly ‘good’ goodbye. And I feel at peace. Leaving here is right and moving on is right too.

There is a song whose title escapes me, that contains the line, ” but you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone…’ but for me, this is not true. I am well aware of every blessing I have known here. I know all that God has given me and I praise Him. I don’t know all that is ahead… A new home, neighbourhood, school, church and lots of new people to meet… But I believe in a Father God who has already prepared me and all of those things. I am not daunted. All I have to do is trust Him at every turn.

So as I yawn my way through today and hug some people for the last time, make endless tea for the packing company and try not to forget anything on my uber list, I rejoice. The Lord has given me all I have. Nothing I possess is mine. All I ‘own’ is actually His. He always takes care of His possessions and His people. So today, I entrust my memories, my friends and all that once was ‘normal’ to Him. If you were part of that normality for us, bless you.

And so now, like a well-brought-up little girl, I leave you with the words. “Thank you for having me.”

love, Ems

ps. There may be ‘radio silence’ from me for a few days… but I shall be blogging again as soon as I have enough All Bran in my system to power me through!