Moving Experience

In just a few weeks my parents will be moving from Canton, Texas to Round Rock, Texas. They will be moving into a Senior Living Apartment which is a lot smaller than the house they live in now. When couples have been married for over sixty years they tend to collect a lot of stuff during that time. Some of the things they have gathered are things that have sentimental value such as the first bedroom set they ever bought, china that belonged to my mother’s mother and my favorite item the knife my dad’s dad used to slaughter hogs. My parents also have some other stuff that does not have the same value as the sentimental belongings. They have things that have been collected over the years from garage sales, estate sales and places like First Monday in Canton. Some of those things are nice, but some just need to be donated or given away.

My wife Mary and I have spent some time trying to help my parents decide what to keep, what to donate and what to just throw away. Deciding what to keep and move has proven to be a challenge. How does someone just get rid of something they have had in their possession for decades? How do you determine to take just what you need in order to set up your house and enjoy your surroundings? Moving is never a fun task and moving to a smaller place that forces you to down size brings a fair amount of stress.

One of the things I am trying to keep in mind is the fact that it is just stuff and even though it may have meaning and memories it is just stuff. Jesus tells you and I to not get attached to the things of this world that gather dust and rust and fall apart. Rather you and I are called to invest in the treasures of the Kingdom of God. The stuff that God values does not gather dust nor does it rust and it is created to last forever.

If you and I will keep that principle in mind as we go through life we will have an easier time when it comes to parting with our “stuff”. Treasure the things that you can take with you any where such as your love for your spouse and your family, the values given to you by your parents and mentors, the faith you have grown into during your daily walk with Jesus, the love that you have for life long friends, the memories you have a warm summer days teaching children or teenagers to enjoy the beauty of God’s creation, or the majesty and splendor of a cloudless night in the country when the stars are so bright and so big that you feel as if you are walking with God through the timeless part of eternity, or the evenings around the dinner table with family, good food, good conversation and of course and a good joke that brings uncontrollable laughter. That is the stuff that last forever and that is the stuff that holds the most value and the greatest thing is that stuff is easy to pack.

So go out today and invest in a memory or two that will last a life time and be something that you can take with you regardless of where you live and how big your barn is and along the way remember to make a difference in the lives of all you touch. In short, invest in eternity.

Love God. Go Love Others.