Moved.

Our family was physically moved recently, plucked from our cozy apartment community where we'd lived for 5 years since moving back to Jarabacoa. The sound of the river lapping the boulders in its juicy path was our lullaby at night. We had a clear view of amazing sunsets, and neighbors that became family. We NEVER planned on moving from there. Yet, we aren't always in as much control as we think. We can't control circumstances, but we can control our response. (I'll be the first to admit my gut level response is not always kind or pretty. Imagine Jon shaking his head in agreement here. He's usually the one that sees and hears my yuck.)

The process of moving was painful. The tearing away. The selling. The purging. We didn't move far but a move is a move. You still have to look all of your junk in the eye and ask yourself why in the world you hold onto the things you hold onto? There was much that didn't "spark joy," and yet my fists had been clenched for some reason. With every item that was tossed I was a little more free. Why do we keep ourselves tied up so with things that don't matter?

 One of the blessings of moving was the help that we received from our community. They are a bunch of troopers and took car/truck loads of stuff to our new place, fed us dinner multiple times and helped us clean so that we could leave our much-loved apartment in good condition. Thank you, Lord, for friends who show up and love so well! 

I generally tend to be a hanger-on-er. To stuff. To the familiar. To an idea. To comfort. I didn't want to leave where we were, but I love where we are now. Sometimes I fight to stay when I really need to go. Sometimes I let go of the things I need to hold onto. How I desire to be on the Godly side of both of those - to fight for the things worth fighting for, to release my grip on the things that need to be let go of. The struggle is REAL. Lord, help me nest close to you, wherever that is.

 When was the last time you were moved? Moved in your spirit, moved in your physical location, moved from one way of thinking to another? Moved to forgive? Moved to let go? Moved to trust more? Moved to be vulnerable? Moved when you wanted to stay? How did you respond?

Psalm 84:3-5  "Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young, a place near your altar, Lord Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, they are ever praising you. Blessed are those whose strength is in you."