All my bags are packed

It's true - all my bags are packed, but I'm not quite ready to go. I still have to UNPACK - take out all the things I've thrown in that I don't really need. (Sigh) Yes, I know all of you are surprised that I have packed things that I don't really need, but it's true. The difference is that this time, I'm going to take some of those things out BEFORE I get to my destination and wonder why in the world I decided to bring 11 T-shirts and 8 pairs of pants, plus skirts, dresses, sweaters, and everything else! Yesterday was my designated "packing day," and I'm very thankful for Lisa, who came over to help and started asking a very important question: "Do you really need that?" If it had been my mom asking, I definitely would have become annoyed and asked her to leave me alone, but I had to be more polite to Lisa! She kept me laughing about it, searched for hidden places to stuff everything in (victoriously!!!), and helped me make the first decisions about what would come out. Friends are great!

Going through the "leaving" process has made me very thankful for all of my friends and family -- everyone who has come to say goodbye, offer encouragement, promise to pray, or help to pack! I realize how blessed I am to have such a great support network standing behind me. I thank God for all of you!

I have another thing to thank God for, too: a pair of black shoes. It might sound silly, but it's really shown me how God is able to provide EVERYTHING I need. The story goes like this:
In June, I had to throw away my favourite pair of black dress shoes. I've held onto them since high school or first year of college, and I loved them!!! Alas, the day came when the insides starting falling out and I knew these shoes were seeing their last days. I tossed them when moving home from Quebec - you can always find another pair of black dress shoes! Or so I thought......I've been looking for another pair all summer, and I went shopping again on Wednesday in a final attempt to find the perfect shoes. There was only one pair that I could find that fit me, and I almost bought them. Unfortunately, when I went to pay for them the salesclerk told me they weren't actually half-price as he had orignally thought - they were still full price. Disappointed, I decided just to wait and see if I could find something better at another store. The shopping trip ended with no shoes, and I headed off to prayer meeting that night. As they prayed for me, one of the things they asked for was that God would provide me with everything I needed before I left. I thought about the shoes, but decided that there would be lots in Japan and I could find some there if not here. There was no time for another shopping trip. But God had a better idea - and He'd already been working on it.

A friend, who was also at prayer meeting that night, came to me afterwards and asked me about my day. I told her about my unsuccessful quest for shoes and she started smiling - "Really? That's so cool because this morning I woke up and I felt like God was telling you to give you my shoes. You know the black ones that you tried on and said you really liked? I've never given shoes that I really like away before, but I think I'm supposed to give these to you. Do you want them?"

"WANT them? I'd LOVE them!" I thought. These shoes were just what I'd wanted: beautiful, comfortable, black, small & light enough to pack. Now, FREE!

"If you really want to give them away, I would love them!" I said. And so I went home that night, knowing God had provided me with everything I needed - even a black pair of shoes.