You Know You’re Tired When… (and a Blaak Family Update)

//  What are some of the craziest things you’ve said or done while completely sleep deprived?

• I remember saying to my husband when we still had babies, “Oh honey, you can’t park there. It’s HANDIWIPED.”
• I remember asking him to “Please go out and mow the carpet.”
• I remember trying to pose everyone for our annual family picture and telling my kids to “Sit there on the machine” as I pointed to a rock.
• I also remember finding my keys in the fridge, and my wedding ring in the sunscreen bucket.

Yes, tiredness can be hilarious when it comes in small doses, but this week, I experienced the not-so-nice version of sleep deprivation.

Tiredness Isn’t Always Funny

Last Sunday night, after weeks of packing and purging and successfully pulling off a massive Garage Sale, I was so exhausted that I tripped over the vacuum cord and hurled headlong into the washing machine. The pain in my knee was more than I could stand, and all of my tiredness came rushing out in a wonderfully relieving cry.

When was the last time you had a good cry? You know, the kind of cry that sounds ridiculous but feels so refreshing.

‘Adults don’t do that.’  But maybe they should. Purging, relieving, comforting.

Go ahead, girl, let it all out. 

That was me.

A little while later, I picked myself up, put ice packs on my bruised knees and shoulder, and spent some time with God and my journal. It wasn’t long before I was ready to engage the world again. Ready to tackle the To-Do list again. Ready to be with people again.

Sometimes we just need to practice a little TLC.  //

^“So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest…” (Hebrews 4:9-11a).

It’s challenging to do sometimes, but the only thing God ever told us to WORK at is “entering His rest.” What does that mean to you?

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Have you noticed I’ve been MIA for a few weeks? My goodness, what a whirlwind we’ve had around here!

Here’s what’s happening with the Blaak Family

• WE’RE MOVING – Yes, it’s true, we are moving back to Canada in June/July this year. It’s a long story, and I’ll share more as the time gets closer, but God is definitely in this. In case you missed the FB announcement, you can read it here.

• WE’VE BEEN INTERVIEWING AND CHOOSING A MOVING COMPANY – When we arrived in South Africa over eleven years ago, we landed with only 12 suitcases, 11 carry-ons, and 4 kids. This time, as we prepare to go back to Canada, we’ll be taking a full shipping container. Thankfully, they have to do the actual packing (so they can make sure there aren’t drugs or seeds or other contraband crossing borders), but my responsibility is to create a detailed inventory of EVERYTHING we’re putting in the container, including replacement value of each item for insurance purposes. (1 spatula = R40, 1 ladle = R40… hectic!)

• WE HAD A HUGE GARAGE SALE LAST SATURDAY – It’s shocking how much one family can accumulate in eleven years. Over the past two months, we’ve collected and priced all of the stuff we’re not taking with us. The Garage Sale was wildly successful, and at one point, the cars were lined up down the street on both sides—definitely a cultural experience for all of us! Praise God, we sold most of it! Special thanks go to my amazing friends here who helped make it possible: Bernadette, Janet, Astrid, Nadia, Jaco, Andrea, Christa-Marie, Christy, Kayleigh, Cheris, and Andrea. You guys are more precious to me than I can even begin to express in words! Thank you for serving the Blaak family in this way!

• OUR HOUSE IS ‘ON SHOW’ – In the middle of all the packing and purging, we’ve also been trying to sell our house. That means we have to keep it clean and tidy and in “Show Home” condition so that real estate agents can bring potential clients through at any time.

No wonder we’re so tired… and it’s only March!

We need to sell our House!

Wanna see it? We made a Virtual Walk-Through Video to spread the word about our beautiful house (and so we could start packing up). We’re trusting God for the right buyer to fall in love with our house and say, “YES!”

Huge thanks go to Pierre Gerber Photography for this awesome video! You’re the best!

Please share this video with your friends and family! 

https://youtu.be/eM00_7q8lzc 

THANKS AGAIN, dear friends, for praying for us through this process of moving and transitioning yet again! And thank you for being patient with my sporadic posting schedule. I’ll do my best to keep sharing the journey with you, despite the busyness. 🙂

Love you so much!

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Every Friday, I join an inspiring group of writers to write for FIVE MINUTES on a one-word prompt. No editing. No revising. Just WRITE. This week, the prompt word was TIRED.

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For more information on Five Minute Friday, check out the Five Minute Friday website!