Are you Packing?

I just made myself laugh out loud because I realized in the part of town I live in that  asking are you packing could maybe mean something different then I intended. Ha… It could me are you carrying your weapons of protection haha.. (if you have been to my house you understand)
But really I was wondering if you happen to be packing like me.. and want to join me in the misery pretending it is fun!

I am packing up to move.  I am excited about the place God has provided for me to move to, because it is only 1 minute from my parents, 5 minutes from my sister– and well if you have followed this year the quick second version is that my dad has a rare form of acute leukemia and my sister and her family were in a serious freak accident that involved a deer sailing through their minivan. So I needed to move closer to my family to help out– and the Lord provided a place.

I wish my packing looked like this

so organized and such.. but reality is if you know me at all it looks more like this

One would think I would be good at this whole packing thing.  I was thinking about this:  I have moved every two years since college.  Wowsers.  God has me on the whole frequent moving plan doesn’t He.  From college to downtown Chattanooga to go to grad school– then to downtown Athens TN (quite the change.. think Mayberry town square), then to Nepal (even bigger change– think complete opposite from Mayberry), then to Cleveland TN where I was the Baptist Collegiate Ministries Director for 2 years in a small tiny place me and my sister in law (well she is my sisters sister in law.. but that sounds way to complicated to explain) then back to downtown Chattanooga for Grad school again.

So lean in close here for a secret confession.  I don’t like packing..

But I will say this…

As I am packing I am doing something else:  getting rid of stuff to.  There’s just something nice about that.  About being able to give things away– throw things away.. to let go of the old to make room for the new.

I kind of like that.  As I was getting rid of — it reminded me that the word the Lord gave me this year was NEW.  That He wants to do NEW things in me.. so for that He has to get rid of some old things.

Made me think of Colossians 3:10  you have put aside the old self with it’s practices and put on the NEW self which is being renewed according to the image of the One who created Him.  

In my getting rid of old I have found some of the craziest old things that I have kept. Some of it due to laziness and not wanting to take the time to get rid of it. Some of it because I thought I might need it at some point.  Some of it because of sentimental ties.

Don’t we do that.
We don’t get rid of old habits due to spiritual laziness, not wanting to get rid of them.  Or thinking maybe we need that bitterness so we better hang on to it. Or we need to hang on to that old relationship due to sentimental ties.

I don’t know about you, but if there is NEW available– I want that.  I want to be renewed according the image of the one who created me–Jesus.

That’s like the difference between old secondhand been stained every way you can imagine furniture and new.  (ha that makes me think of the small coach someone donated me once .. it was a pullout couch and had been in a hotel room for years– imagine that beauty there)

speaking of.. when I googled  ugly thrift store furniture it was interesting because most of the pictures that came up were pictures of ugly furniture that had been restored to new.

Don’t you love it– GLORY– because that is true of our hearts, our lives.. who were are in Christ.

He makes beautiful things out of us!

So what are you packing that you need to get rid of for the NEW?

Now.. I wont even start on the fact that I have 3.2 thousand coffee cups to pack and barely any silverware or plates.. it’s clear where my priorities lie!

Now speaking of NEW:  Wednesday will be the kick off for the online Bible study I am going to be leading on the book God sized dreams.  On Wednesday I will tell you more details:  For now you need to know:

1) All you need for the study is the book God sized dreams by Holley Gerth, your Bible, a fun journal (just because I like them), and an open heart
2) we will be a laid back group… however I would love to know if you are going to be participating.  Would you e-mail me at [email protected] so I will know you are apart.
3) on Mondays I will post some “heartwork” assignments for the week to go with the book.  Feel free to do only what you can/makes you come alive.  We will interact with eachother on what we are learning.  On Wednesdays you can check back in for a video teaching that I will do on that chapter (barring no crazy life interruptions– which might I add in my family can come at any time)
4) on Fridays link up for us on a what made you come alive that week posts.. if you have a blog. If you don’t.. just pull up a chair and join us we will love to have you just read!
5) there is no pressure here.. just a group of friends discussing God sized dreams together.  Also i am going to make a facebook group to.. so if you would like to be added just let me know.

Lean in and I will whisper you one more secret .. shh.. this is my first time leading an online Bible study so i will probably mess up once or twice… let’s have fun and laugh together!

Leave me a comment if you are joining us:  Wednesday we will introduce ourselves to each other!  and if you dont know how to leave a comment no worries:  just e-mail me!

Also would you do me a favor and check out the coaching group I am starting!  Registration closes may 5th.. Would you share this exciting oppertunity. If you and a friend sign up.. you get 10 percent off registration cost. I promise to make it worth your while!