baggage

Oh, the things so very dear to the 2 oldest Littles around here.  The contents change every day or so without rhyme or reason.  But the baggage… the precious, the trinkets, the lovelies, the whathaveyou… it come-th with-eth.  If they are walking, they are carrying their bounty.  If they are sleeping, the Treasures are on the pillow next to their crazy little heads.

Lord, help us all if we forget a piece- for surely The End is nigh.

Many of you hear me loud and clear.

plastic horse, travel toothpaste, bottle, valentine

bulldozer, weighted plastic egg, slap bracelet

crazy 8 cards, magnetic rock, rubber lizard "Blue"

pink pen, koosh ball, play spatula, silicone cups

RANDOM.  What can they possibly be thinking?  As I carefully placed each child’s Essential Items in separate piles last night- easily found in the morning lest All Be Lost- it occurred to me that I have no cause to roll my eyes at their Beautiful and Precious Things.

For I have my own, though now invisible.  

Things I have picked up and chosen to carry with me without fail for years.  As I mentally took a long-overdue inventory of my own baggage, I realized I wanted the slap bracelet and travel toothpaste so much more.

How long have I been carrying the embarrassment of that one day?

The hurt of that other conversation?

The desire for that certain thing?

When exactly did the guilt climb on and stay about that one thing?

When did that picture of that ‘perfection’ settle in?

How long has entitlement been there?  Sneaky thing, entitlement.

If My Things were physical, I would need a trailer to carry them.

This Wednesday starts a beautiful season in the Church: Lent.  For me, it’s the final climb out of winter.  It’s 40 days of introspection where Believers intentionally pray, sacrifice, read, sleep, eat, or simply change to focus on their own relationship with God a bit more.  It’s where we wait for Sunday… for Easter. It’s where we take apart, re-order, and restock.

I don’t know about you, but some of that Baggage has got to go.  It’s heavy.  And, it’s old.  I don’t want it anymore, seen or unseen.  It’s getting in the way.

I need a clear path and a clear heart to do this thing… this life… right.

So, let’s get on with it already.

We’ve got a lot to sort through, Self!

Bring on Wednesday.

I may need to get a head start.