Last week, we packed up our belongings in the second house we’ve lived in during the last three months and headed south towards home number three. We drove 1,200 miles with a seven week old & eventually figured out the best way to change a diaper in the front seat of the car. You would think with all the travel and transition we do that it gets easier but I’m not convinced it actually does.
I once again found myself tapping into my inner Marie Kondo making piles of throw, give, store, and keep. We are continually trying to & needing to simplify & evaluate our belongings as we move between the Heart of America, the Sunshine State & the Himalayas. We are mostly digital, scanning entire booklets, packets, & documents to ensure lighter travel. We often ask ourselves how packable & transportable something is before we buy it.
Through all the recent transition, we have been reminded to come back to thankfulness. Thankful to the Lord for continually providing community, housing, and support while we are here in the States. He truly has lavished his grace on us. We’re thankful for the many friends & family who welcome us no matter how many times we show up on their doorstep with short notice…again.
Just last week, we stayed with some relatives who hadn’t met Eli yet. We got out of the car after traveling several hours. They made us a whole dinner spread & I immediately handed Eli off to one of my aunts who gladly held him while we all caught up on life & while we watched a little good clean comedy together. It’s moments like these that I realize, no matter where we are in the world community is essential for our wellbeing.
Maybe one day it’s family scooping your child into their arms with love and the next it’s a new friend who you already feel is a kindred spirit. We truly felt the urgency of being present with whoever “your people” are on any given day when the kindred spirit friend we met in May passed away from Covid in July. Whoever our community is at the time, may we share deeply, respond compassionately, & bear one another’s burdens with love.