Down to Hours

It is 6:41 pm central time in Nacogdoches, Texas. A this time tomorrow, I will have been in the air on my way to Chile via Miami for approximately 10 minutes. Whoa.
And yes, I am excited. I swear if another person asks me if I'm excited, I am going to go evil llama and spit at them! At this point, I'm just tired of talking about, tired of thinking about it, tired of (unsuccessfully) planning it, tired of this crazy limbo state. I'm ready to be there, to be living there, growing there, thriving there.
And yet, I'm petrified! I say I love not knowing and the surprises of life and the awesomeness of resting in the fact that God knows exactly what's going on so I don't have to. And most of the time I truly do love these things, but of course there are still those moments where I think, "I don't want to do this anymore." I haven't had one of those in a while, but I'm pretty sure when I can't sleep tonight or when I am sick of sleeping in a one man tent with Catie's snoring or when I swear someone is putting bricks in my backpack when I'm not looking or when I think I can't say another word in Spanish or I will explode or when I miss someone so much it hurts, that I will have that sinking pseudo-regret. And that's ok. because it's only pseudo. and then I will see the most beautiful sunset or the brightest star or the most joyful child or hear that perfect song and our ever faithful Father will remind me that He knows and cares and understands and loves. And I will smile, sniffle and let go of that pseudo-sorrow or whatever it may be and climb another mountain(literally and figuratively). And in those pseudo-terrible moments I will be joyful. and if an actually terrible moment should come I will be joyful. For I know God is good and the Spirit is stronger than any emotion.
So yeah, that's what I'm feeling.
Please pray for travelling safety for Catie and me, that any snags can be handled calmly and with faith that God will work them out the best. Pray for our families as they try not to worry. Join me in praying that Catie and I can be vessels for the Lord in Chile, whatever that means and that we will be able to listen when he tells us how he wants to use us or grow us whether that's through scripture or each other or strangers or gut feelings or a cool breeze. Pray that God will reveal himself to us in crazy new ways as we embark on this crazy new journey.

ps. I would also like to comment on the irony of the fact that I am doing this and preparing all the other last minute stuff during the Super Bowl, one of the biggest cultural fixtures of living in the US (at least in my house). But I don't belong to American culture for the next 6 months. It's just funny.
you know what else is funny? Bruce Springsteen just told everyone to step away from the guacamole and put down the chicken fingers and jam with him. There are some things I really do love about America.