Tonight I stood in an empty apartment that I called home for almost a year. As Jen wrote, we get a bit sentimental when life takes us from one place to another. I walked through the different rooms and thought of the memories that were made in that place…I could imagine seeing Maisie as a little baby in her Moses basket laying in the middle of the living room. I could see the places where my friends have sat as we talked about life and following Jesus. I looked into the kitchen and could picture Jen discovering how to make new foods for us to enjoy…and I started to get a welling up as I knew that this chapter was nearly over.
Earlier in the day I had to quickly get rid of some things that I forgot to pack…mostly clothes. It’s funny how clothes, like places, bring certain memories or events to mind. After learning that the Salvation Army around the corner from our house doesn’t accept clothes I had to resort to putting my things in a box on the street. As I left it there I really felt that I was leaving a part of me behind on the curb! How lame…But within minutes some of the homeless and down and out people were going through the box….taking my clothes to use as their own.Between these two things I feel like God has been trying to say something to me: Don’t get too attached to the places and things that hold your memories…Let the good things of the past live in your heart, not in objects.
Something like a switch being turned on happened inside of me. I started praying that God would give me a divine divorce from being sentimentally attached to places. I prayed that I would discover a spiritual separation from things that I had held too tightly to.For some reason, while standing in the apartment tonight, I felt like I could walk away knowing that God has nothing less than His best waiting for us. As I locked the door behind me I had a peace about the future. I was ready to close the door and confident that the things that I need for the future will always be provided.
Justin, thank you for your posts on moving for they were, well, moving for me. I’m in the process of moving to Cal Poly SLO, and I am going through much of the same. How true it is that we carry each other’s burdens, a wonderful expression of our love for each other. As I go through my things, and decide what to toss, give, leave and take, I encounter many memories, and it’s good to remember that my heart is in Heaven, not in my ‘possessions.’
Justin…You have taken me along with you on your journey, spiritual and physical, and as you have surrendered your ‘right’ to an unchanging place in the world, it moves me to reconsider my own place and how furiously I cling to what really isn’t mine. Paris has been a great place of building, learning and leaving and God has done some incredible preparing for what He now has in store for you. I look forward to being able to follow your journey (through your posts, and hopefully a few trips), as He leads you. You’re very dear to my heart…I’m so grateful you’re a part of my family.
Very poignant Justin. Very insightful. Thank you for sharing that. Looking forward to seeing you soon!
Nelson
Wow, how profound. I sit here with tears in my eyes. I am so proud of you and how you have learned to put your life in God’s hands. I love you Justin.
Hi Justin,
Thanks for the great insigths and glimpses into your heart. You’re an encouragement to me and I’m proud to call you my son. Dad