Staying Occupied!

Staying Occupied...a perfect blog post title because that's exactly what I've been doing this past week!  It is just one month and two days until I help move Adam into his new apartment in Knoxville, TN.  I've been trying to keep myself busy-- helping him paint some furniture for his apartment (as shown above), shopping at thrift stores and working on some little projects of my own.  We painted his kitchen table a deep, charcoal gray and for a pop of color, Adam wanted to paint his stools UT orange! I thought this was perfect!  It turned out great!   I've been working on my room at my apartment as well.  Partly because I've been living there for three years now and thought it was time for a change, but I thought it would also be neat thing to share with Adam.  We've been to Peddler's Mall,  Murray Merchant's Mall (Trends n Treasures)  and Wal-Mart about a million times!  The good thing about the first two places is that it seems like a new store every time you enter.  Vendors are always bringing in new items for their booths.  Needless to say, we've found lots of great treasures!  I found a great, old weather vane arrow.  I painted a white coat over the existing black coat and then a final deep, brick red coat.  After it had dried, I took some sand paper and roughed it up giving it a real "weathered' look.  After laying it all out on my bed, placing the arrow between two sets of pictures I had taken and framed, it gave me the idea that I could make a giant compass on my wall!  I rushed out to Wal-Mart (once again) and picked up some letters to indicate North, South, East and West.  I haven't hung all of this up yet, but I'm excited to soon!

Despite trying to stay occupied and keeping my mind off things, the reality that Adam will be leaving is really starting to settle in.    Knowing that he's not 'just down the road' when I call him will be tough as well as not being able to see him when I want to.  I know he is going to be an excellent graduate student and I'm already praying that the Lord is working on the hearts of the fraternity men he will come in contact with at UT as head of the Fraternities.  I know this upcoming long distance relationship will not be easy---it's going to take lots of hard work and two understanding hearts.  I anticipate some major sanctification, road-trips and Skype usage!  I'm looking forward to talking with Adam about our expectations and coming up with a tentative communication schedule. (I know...the word schedule sounds terrible....but I'm going to need one or who knows...we could be playing phone tag for days!)  Learning how to be flexible, more understanding and patient will be coming my way for sure.  I've started looking for some verses to begin meditating on and thinking through as I prepare for his move to Knoxville.  Reminding myself of truth will be huge during this transition time! Here are just a few:

John 14:1-2
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you."

I think this will help take my mind off missing Adam and remind me that my trust and hope is not in Adam, it is in Christ -- and I will be with him someday!  He's preparing a place for me in Heaven!

1 Peter 5:7

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

While this verse is simple, it gets straight to the point.  I foresee myself getting upset or frustrated and immediately going to Adam with all of it (as I am prone to do).  Taking these frustrations to the Lord first in prayer, knowing he cares about everything going on in my life will not only be better for me, but better for Adam too. 

Job 23:12
"I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food."

During this time, remaining in the Word, both reading and applying it, will be so important! I want to meditate on this verse to hold me accountable and remind me of how important the Word is to my daily life.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

This last verse is one I have memorized before, but I think it will be a great one to meditate on during this time.  Doing each of these three things, being joyful always, praying continually and giving thanks in all circumstances, will prove very hard during this time!  But these three things are God's will for me and I know His Will is much better than mine.  If you want to pray for me, this would be a great prayer to pray. That I would be joyful always, pray continually, and that I would give thanks in whatever circumstance.  Pray that Christ's Will would be done and that my will would yield to His. 

The countdown (unfortunately) begins. One month and two days.