Unlikely Time Capsules

As we go through this process of moving, we come to that point in our lives (some of us come to it often) where we realize it is time to sell, give or trash many things we have been holding on to for months or even years.

We have two weeks left until the movers come. This would be our first move using professional movers. We do the packing, but they supervise the loading/unloading and do all the driving. This frees us to drive our minivan with the family at our own pace. I kind of like it. But there's still a lot to do in the next two weeks.

We had a moving sale, and got rid of many things we realized we didn't need to take with us to Texas. Greta's baby toys were phased out. Since she is four now, we decided it was time to remove the baby rattles and so forth. She rarely played with them, obviously, but she hated to see them go. This time, we held firm - the baby toys have to go!

An interesting thing happened along the way. We had to go through drawers. All drawers in furniture have to be emptied in preparation for the loading. When we have moved ourselves in the past, we simply took the drawers out, loaded the dresser on the truck, then put the drawers back in. We followed this same procedure for unloading, in reverse. This time, all drawers have to be emptied - period. Karl found himself going through his nightstand drawers. Although we have moved three times in the last 10 years, we didn't have to empty the drawers before. Now that he was going through them, he found what amounts to a personal time capsule.

Karl and I had several good laughs over the outdated, useless and 'did we really keep that' things in his nightstand drawers. There were many wonderful memories in there as well, pictures of the family and so forth.

I found myself wondering, how long would it have been before we went through these drawers, weeding out junk and waste if we weren't forced to do so because of the moving truck company's policy? There are many things we should do for ourselves, but we don't often do them until we are forced to by some sort of outside circumstances.

I also wonder how many things are in my life, in my heart, that really need to be weeded out? Perhaps I need to let the professional heart surgeon give me guidelines that will force me to go through, open up and get rid of that which only ties me down.

The Journey of Faith

This is often a very hard concept for people to understand, but faith is a journey. What do I mean by that? Well, we can look to a pillar of faith, Abraham for the best example.

Most everyone has heard of Abraham, the man of faith. But a closer look at the story also reveals many times when Abraham didn't have enough faith to carry him through some difficult moments. Hence the lying about Sarah being his sister and the attempt to produce his own heir through a slave girl, Hagar.

So why does everyone call Abraham a man of faith if he failed so many times? The answer is simple, although it is two fold. First, Abraham didn't fail every time. Second, Abraham was on the right road of faith.

I live in North Central Arkansas. When I want to visit my family in Oklahoma City, I'm eventually going to find my way on to Interstate 40. It goes straight to OKC and is not far from my mother's home.

Being on I-40 doesn't put me automatically at my mother's front door. But being on I-40 will get me there. So it is with the journey of faith. We get on the right road, and we may make mistakes, but we will eventually get there. The mile markers on the road become faith markers, showing our progress along the way.

Jesus helps us when we have a flat tire along the way. He loves to help His people. He's just so excited that you are on the right road, the road of faith.

On the Move

Change is stressful. Whether good change or bad change, it's still stressful. It's just the nature of the beast I suppose.

Our family is going through a change. We will be moving from North Central Arkansas to East Texas. We are all excited about our move and my husband's new position. However, change is still stressful.

If I don't put up a new post every week, please forgive me. I may be pulling my hair out as I try to pack up a family of five. Needless to say, any and all prayers would be appreciated, especially from those of you who know what it's like to move with small children in the home.

In the meantime, I can share with you this news: God still answers prayers. God is still in the business of making His will known to His people and leading them to where they need to go.

Braden's Heart

There is a man at church who is a proud grandpa. He and his wife both have talked excitedly many times about their first grandchild. Now they often bring up little Braden's name in prayer, because he has a hole in his heart.

Grandpa got up to tell the children's story at church this weekend. He said he's been looking for faith, to believe his little grandson will be healed. Grandpa realized he only had a little bit of faith and wanted God to show him where he could get more.

That's when God told this man where there is great faith, in the little children. So Grandpa, in front of the whole church, asked the children to pray with him for his little infant grandson and the hole in his heart.

Jesus said, unless you have the faith of a little child. When was the last time you learned from a small child about the need for complete and total trust in God who knows the end from the beginning? Great faith brings great freedom. Children often don't worry about things the way we adults tend to. Freedom to believe whole heartedly in God's promises. In the yes and amen promises in His Word.

My heart was touched this weekend. I valued my own children more and praised the Lord that He uses little people to teach big lessons. And I find myself praying earnestly for little Braden and his entire family as they experience the healing miracle God is sending their way.