Out of Trouble Comes Wisdom Through Moving Yet Again
By Chris Hammond, MS, IMH
Yet another box to unpack and more stuff to decide where it
belongs. The never ending stream of
things both necessary and unnecessary seems to procreate overnight and grow
into this insurmountable pile of stuff.
Moving is physically exhausting as things never seem to land where they
belong and more things are misplaced or displaced then organized. No matter the house size whether bigger or
smaller than before, nothing seems to work out just as planned. Then of course there is the list of things
that need to be done such as checking on the AC unit before the heat of the
summer sets in or the heater before the cold becomes unbearable. It really does not matter if the place you
are moving into is old or new (trust me, new things break as easily as old), in
good shape or poor shape, or near or far from where you came. The process is tiring nonetheless and
exhaustion quickly turns into an overwhelming feeling of “What have I done?”
But logic prevails and the reasons for the move slowly begin
to overshadow the journey itself lifting your spirits ever so slightly. There is the old picture you found of your
kids when they were younger, a copy of an musical program that you and your
spouse went to when dating, a box given to you by your deceased grandfather, or
a book that has been passed down for several generations. So many memories come from these things;
memories that you had forgotten or rather just had not intentionally remembered
until finding a new place for the object forced it to come forward. Looking back on the moving experience is
painful but just like childbirth, something good emerges from the pain.
We are not meant to become attached to stuff in fact the
Bible strictly warns against it. 1 John
2:15 begins a warning, “Do not love
this world nor the things it offers you”. While a move may highlight the importance of
some of your possessions; it should also highlight that the very things you
treasure will not leave this world but you eventually will. The Egyptians held onto a belief for many
centuries that a person’s possession can travel with them when they die. The fact that these things remain here on
earth is evidence enough that you can’t take your stuff with you.
This is good news.
For you are made to have a home in Heaven, your home is not here on
earth but with God in Heaven. Just like
your recent move, you will one day move on to meet your Creator. The question is, “What have you done to
prepare for that move?” On this earth, you
box valuable things up with such care as to protect them during the move but
what have you done to prepare your heart and mind for the last and final move
of your life? It is never too late to
make a decision to move in the right direction.
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"Reprinted with permission from the LifeWorks Group weekly eNews, (Copyright, 2004-2012), To subscribe to this valuable counseling and coaching resource visit www.LifeWorksGroup.org or call 407-647-7005"
About the author- Chris Hammond is a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern at LifeWorks Group w/ over 15 years of experience as a counselor, mentor & teacher for children, teenagers & adults.
"Reprinted with permission from the LifeWorks Group weekly eNews, (Copyright, 2004-2012), To subscribe to this valuable counseling and coaching resource visit www.LifeWorksGroup.org or call 407-647-7005"
About the author- Chris Hammond is a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern at LifeWorks Group w/ over 15 years of experience as a counselor, mentor & teacher for children, teenagers & adults.