Empty(ing) House and Finding Peace

Today being a day of rest, we took a break from the standard boxing, hauling, and showing of the house, especially since we had no scheduled showings for today.

Or so we thought.

What we found out this afternoon was that a showing we had thought would be yesterday afternoon was actually for this afternoon -- the house, of course, was a mess. Still, they were enchanted (random articles of clothing and large, cardboard boxes notwithstanding); the woman commented on a "peace" the house had about it.

The offer was put in this afternoon. We're waiting to find out the amount from our realtor. Go fig.

Several things have been moved via the marvel that is craigslist; the house is looking much less crowded. A piano we had brought over from our parish's old building was passed on to our -- sponsees? godchildren who are our age? -- who wanted it.

What you see here to the right is the surprise "payment" for my help in moving the piano. Let it be known (as I found out John, my godson, swings by here to read from time to time) that I do not consider this as payment for something I was fully planning on insisting on doing for free, but rather a generous gift between friends, a giver who very thoughtfully remembered what I'd mentioned one time as my drink of choice.

So thank you, John.

Also resigned from my school district this past week. It's noticeable -- and a bit surprising, really -- how I am not at all perturbed by a sudden "uprootedness" that this move has thrust upon us. Somewhat disturbing, actually, is that I've succumbed in the first place to the "clingy" type of rootedness (as in, the bad kind wherein one is addicted to security, rather than the good rootedness that comes from attachment to land and family), as such was not always the case. Regardless, with no job come September, peace -- perhaps the one our potential buyer may have picked up on -- has settled in long before some of these major pieces started falling into place (Thank God).

Our parish priest spoke a week ago in liturgy about how "trusting in princes, in the sons of men" nowadays translates to "trusting in a depersonalized" -- and, I would add, depersonalizing -- "system" instead of God. It isn't that the two are always opposed to one another, but when one's confidence is shaken when the corporation, school district, or sugar daddy who had been writing the checks suddenly cuts the cord, then there's a failure to recognize the One truly providing for us behind the scenes. For about a week, we were moving across the country with no job guaranteed for my wife (this has since changed, thank God) and no job here for me. Loose ends still exist regarding finances (welcome to life, I suppose), but individuals have already contacted us about support. God is not without his workers. God grant we would be some ourselves.