My life is in a box.

I’m not referring to a psychological block or an emotional downturn. I’m speaking literally.

The process of relocating to north Louisiana is in full box packing mode. The worse kind of moves are those where one does not fully pack. There is no moving company in my future for this move. No one to pack the boxes, lift the boxes or transport them. It is complicated further in that we are moving from a spacious house to the camp in Gibsland. The other complicating factor is the house was remodeled for two and now has three. We even downsized the doggy herd. Hazel is very happy in her new home!

A box is packed in Natchitoches and then arrives in Gibsland and the race is on to find a place for that box. It has become a maddening experience. The process has even invaded the office. I have the luxury of tons of bookshelf space at the church here. My new home has limited bookshelf space. Books are stuffed in every nook and cranny of the house. It looks like people are living in a library. I know we live in the world of Google, but I still want to hold a book and mark on the pages of the book. I am hanging on “to the way it used to be.” I have a zillion books that weigh tons. I will move every one of them.

I have checked to see how long the Corona can live on a box. My boxes are not practicing social distancing, but they are in quarantine. I have no place to move them yet. I have attached a picture of the books that will reside at the new church office.

The church in Natchitoches should soon know who the new pastor will be. Our official start date at the new church is July 1. Those of us who are moving this year are wondering if we will move and our new church will be closed for Sunday morning worship still. I used to have that nightmare, now it could be reality. You and I are living through something that is new for all of us.

Each time I walk in my office or into the house here, I am reminded that my life is in a box. We are moving. It is a sad time but an exciting time. My bride is already working toward house breaking me again. It is a painful process of folding things and putting them away. I will make it. The new church has three services. I am used to that. Two of the services happen at the same time. I wonder if I can learn rollerskates?

We are all experiencing the box. We are boxed out of our normal habits. We are confined to our homes. We are not sure how we feel about this virus-imposed box, but it is necessary to protect human life. The virus is about to meet a Louisiana summer and I know who will win that battle. As the writer of Ecclesiastes should have said, “This too shall pass.”

We will unpack, modify some of our social customs and be about life again.
In the meantime, I will continue to enjoy Natchitoches and will pack another box or two. Next week, I’m shoving my computer in a box. This will be my final installment of this article. I have enjoyed it! You have taught me way more than I gave to you. Because of the cross connections between Bienville, Lincoln and Natchitoches Parishes, I can almost guarantee you that I will be back.