4 Days to Mexico....

.... & an ER visit.

I keep waiting for the day that we walk in the ER and they say "Welcome back Mr. & Mrs. Hall. It's good to see you again." 

I feel like that should happen because we come so much. 

Lee had a colonoscopy today (fun stuff) and just like after his endoscopy, it upset his stomach problem.

So, Mexico has not been foremost in my mind today.

I had planned to finish packing today except for the things I can't pack because I'll be using them. 

But...that didn't happen.

***

Back in March, I cleaned out my clothes so I don't have that many t-shirts anymore. I have several newer t-shirts that I don't want to take to work in. Then, I only have a few old t-shirts that I use to sleep in, lounge around in, and work out in. For this trip, I need several t-shirts because I don't want to have to wash anything while down there. 

So...I went shopping for t-shirts at the Goodwill yesterday. I managed to find 6 shirts in my size. Of course, I'm going to have an interesting array of messages on my t-shirts from a band shirt to a Royal Caribbean shirt. Some other winners I found included a Clay Aiken tour shirt. *Unfortunately*, it was black and I don't want to wear a black shirt to work outside in. I also found a '10 Things You Need to Know About Chuck Norris' shirt, but it was a 2X. 

 Here's my pile of Goodwill t-shirts freshly washed.

Here's my carry-on packed with all my "work clothes." I still have plenty of room.

***

     ^"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.  For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
       So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
     The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;  idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions  and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
      But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.  Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.  Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other." -Galatians 5:13-25

As I work on packing my physical clothes for the trip, I also need to think about how I will "clothe" myself spiritually. These "clothes" should be ones that I wear daily, not just on a mission trip.

*Just because we are free from sin does NOT mean we are free to sin.*

*We should serve others-not just on a mission trip or when our church plans it-but daily. We should lay aside our wants and desires to help others.*

*We should let the Holy Spirit be our guide in life.*

*What we naturally desire is going to be different from what the Spirit desires. Our nature and the Spirit are in CONFLICT. It is not easy to go against our nature; but if we are following Christ, we can't do whatever we want.*

For this trip and every day I pray that our team displays

love

joy

peace

patience

kindness

goodness

faithfulness

gentleness

& self-control