Baggage...Going to Camp (Do You Have Unwanted Baggage?)

This has been a very busy summer.  Between Megan's hospitalization and brain surgery, sending my oldest off to college, and sending my other children to church camp, it seems that we have spent most of the summer packing.  My daughter packed for camp by herself.  When I saw the massive suitcase and other various bags, I had no doubt that she would be lacking in anything.  However, my youngest son is going to camp tomorrow.  This is the child that requires me to go through luggage.  He told me that he had packed for himself.  You may think this is not a problem, but in the past, this meant that he would show up at camp with 8 shirts, 2 pairs of socks, flip flops, and 1 pair of underwear.  Amazingly, when he returned that pair of underwear would still be safely tucked in his suitcase as fresh as a daisy.  Therefore, I double-check his packing.  After digging through multiple bags of Werther's Original caramels, chips, and other candy (Let's face it.  That is his important items.), I found 8 pairs of basketball shorts, six shirts, and 8 pairs of underwear.  There were basketball shoes, tennis shoes, flip flops for wear, and flip flops for shower.  This packing seemed a bit of overkill, but at least this time, he is prepared. It took both of us, but we dragged the suitcase thumping down the stairs.  So all of the packing for the last few weeks got me thinking about baggage.  How many of you would say that you carry around a lot of stuff that you just don't need emotionally?  We are hurt in the past and find it hard to forgive, so we carry around pain and hurt.  It's hard to enter relationships when you are carrying all of your baggage from past relationships.  How about when you are worried about what will happen in the future?  Will you be able to pay that bill?  Will your kids make the right decisions?  This worry adds more baggage to your life.  How about fear about what our futures will hold?  There is a lot of bad in this world, and it's easy to let that fear dictate how we live our lives.  More baggage.  Eventually, you find yourself so weighted down by mistrust, hurt, anger, fear, and worry that you find it hard to get up in the morning.  You find yourself fighting vices that you use to cope with your baggage.  So how do you drop the baggage and get free?  When I started going through my son's bag, I had to remove things that weren't needed.  As I took out the useless items, the bag became much lighter.  Evaluate your life.  Does hanging onto unforgiveness benefit your life in any way, or does it only add unwanted weight and baggage?  Maybe it's time to let it go.  Does worry pay the bills?  God told us to trust Him.  If He provided for the sparrows will He not provide for you?  Will fear keep you safe?  God said that we can hide under the shadow of His wings.  My favorite verse is 1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.(NIV)  So I have to remind myself, do I really want to drag around a lot of unwanted stuff, or do I want to feel free?  Ask God to help you let go of things that weigh you down.  Give Him your burdens and anxiety.  Let go of unwanted baggage and fill your life with God's peace, joy, and love that He freely gives to you!

Have a great week high-heeled warriors!