But I Might Need this ...

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28

When traveling with yours truly, that sentence has caused more busted tote bag zippers, over-taxed suitcase wheels and cramped floorboards than I'd care to admit. I am a MAJOR over-packer! What do I stuff in there? Well, I'd love to say that the items are practical, but unless a water landing can be assisted by a carry-on filled to the brim with several balls of yarn, pattern books and a ridiculous assortment of shoes, I don't suppose they would qualify as such.

My poor husband attempts to make sense of my choices while playing "trunk Tetris;" hoping that I will have a different answer than I have for the last fifteen years. He mentions that wherever we're going will most likely have craft stores. He attempts to gently remind me that I can find most any pattern I would ever need online. He questions just how many times in one given day I will have the time to change my footwear. And every time, I give him the same answer: "But what if I want ____ and I don't have it?" He shakes his head and somehow makes it all fit ... again.

Throughout our vacation, I lug my bags from place to place, seldom even opening them. I can count on one hand the number of times I have actually even finished a project while on vacation. I generally wear the same pair of shoes the entire time. Once I become focused on enjoying my family, I don't need to keep occupied and I'm certainly not concerned with my footwear. When we return home, I grumble while carrying all of our belongings in; wondering what possessed me to bring so much-- until next time ...

The family of God is on a trip together during this season of Lent. We are traveling with a God who is able to supply all of our needs, but I come with a rather heavy pack. It's not full of yarn, it's full of my hang-ups. Pride, insecurity, impatience, worry ... they're all in there, just to name a few. The load I insist on bringing is heavy, confining and, at times, quite painful. Convinced I might need them, I stubbornly cling to my burdens, and complain about how hard they make my journey.

The good news is, God doesn't insist that I only get in the car when I trust him perfectly. He knows I'll over-pack for the journey of Lent each year-- we all do! In stead, He lovingly urges me to release my hang ups one at a time, so I can experience the journey with freedom and room for growth.

As we take this "trip" through Lent together, I'll be sharing some of the bags I need to ditch, as well as the "snapshots" and "souvenirs" I uncover along the way. Traveling is never without trials, but I've always found Lent to be worth the trip! With the destination of Easter in sight, I'm nervous but excited to start this journey once more-- I hope you are, too!

In Lenten Love and Friendship,

Amy