You can take my stuff, but . . .

Tomorrow we set foot back in Nigeria.  I started this post in December, with just the title.  However, today I have been thinking about its theme again.  We are traveling with about 300 pounds of things.  They aren't really that valuable... clothes, gifts for friends, some electronic "toys" which we use to get our work done more effectively, like the camera I used to take this picture or the laptop I am writing this blog with. 

At times, my mind wanders.  What if, somehow, we lose all our stuff.  You, know baggage goes missing, between airports; someone decides to play Robin Hood and thinks that I am rich--and decides to help me with this load; one can imagine all kinds of scenarios.  Oddly, I am less concerned about losing the stuff as losing all the pictures which remind me of so many people and experiences.  Once Christy had a laptop stolen at knife-point and along with it many pictures and journals.  Of course, I make back-ups and take precautions, but I sense at times I go beyond careful to obsessed.  "You can take my stuff" I find myself saying, "but don't take my back-up hard drive."  Am I really willing to "give myself away" as one song says?  Please pray with me as I struggle to give myself fully to God.