Preparing to Leave

     It is December 24th 2012; after dinner with my family and going to watch The Hobbit for the second time, at home I am continuing the Herculean task of moving out of my room, packing, doing laundry, and wrapping Christmas presents. All of this needs to be completed by 5:30 am on Wednesday at which time my parents will pick me up and take me to the charter bus stop at Bradley to catch my bus that leaves at 6 am . With so much to do in preparation for my trip to Paris and study-abroad in Rennes, it is critical to make time for the important things in life. So, I took a break to watch an epi of Star Trek: The Next Generation. This epi was appropriately named, We'll Always Have Paris. 
     Preparing to leave is a bittersweet moment. On one hand I am eager to embark upon this adventure, on the other hand, I will be leaving everything that have been my constants in my life. This journey is planned for six months, the longest that I will have ever been away from my hometown area. Much can change in six months. What will Peoria be like when I return? What will America be like? How will my friends have changed? Who will I be? In this moment I choose to not give way to doubt, anxiety, and fear, but to throw my life once again into the hands of God and step out in faith. 
    In the book of Isaiah it is written:
         Fear not, for I am with you;
         be not dismayed, for I am your God;        
         I will strengthen you, I will help you,         
         I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.(1)
Already, in preparation for this trip the Lord has opened up doors of unexpected blessing and financial provision. One of my testimonies is that I have a person to sublease my room for this Spring semester! Since I am one of the signees on the house lease, I am responsible for my portion of the rent, $200 a month. Though this is a good price, it stinks to think you will be paying for something of which you are not benefitting. So I had been looking for a person to sublease my room for a semester, not a likely prospect for the Spring semester, yet I held out hope.
     About a month ago, there was a possible candidate from Purdue who was thinking of subleasing. He is  member if Chi Alpha on that campus and was graduating this December. He had been hired at Caterpiller in Peoria and it looked like this would be the answer to my prayers, yet, in the end, Caterpiller helped him find more a more permanent housing situation. My hopes for finding someone to sublease withered on the vine. But, a little over a week ago, Kyle (one of my roommates), told me of someone from Bradley that he has been getting to know that has been commuting and wanting to get closer. This person was thinking he would move into the dorms. Living here would be vastly cheaper than the dorms while still providing for his need to be closer to campus, and after viewing the home last Thursday, told me on Saturday that he would move in for January-May. What a great answer to prayer! How good is my God! In the words of Michael Scott from The Office, it's a win-win.win.
     In the spirit of travel and new beginnings, I was inspired this afternoon to shave my beard. (part of it) As you can see I have been taking excellent care of my skin underneath that beard, which is baby smooth!

   December 24th, 2012

1. Isaiah 41:10 (ESV)