A Very Difficult Move

Summer is a popular time to move. My son just moved back home from college, and in a few short weeks he’ll be moving back to school and into his first apartment. Some friends of ours just moved into their sixth home in five years (God bless ‘em); even our church is moving to another part of town. I don’t know about you…but I really, really dislike moving.


I do not enjoy having to look at all of my old stuff and make decisions about what to pack up and keep, or what to get rid of. I certainly don’t look forward to all the repairing that needs to be performed before we can leave the old habitat for the newer one, but it is a necessary part of movng isn’t it? If it were up to my comfort zone, I would much rather just stay where I am, even though there may be a point in my life when moving would be beneficial to me and my husband’s future. One thing is definite: If you’re not intentional in your actions…moving can end up being a giant PAIN!

My hubby and I recently had to say goodbye to some long-time neighbors of ours. They were moving away, not just from our neighborhood, but from each other. Married for over two decades, their youngest child a recent high school graduate, they decided to get a divorce. I want to let you know up front, that I don't know the particular reason behind their decision…that is between them and God, I do have to wonder though... how does a couple with a good family and a nice home end up divorcing after so many years? What I do believe is this; all divorce is the result of when one or both people in the marriage harden their hearts.

I wonder if my obvious dislike for moving is why it’s sometimes difficult for me to move myself. I know that I need to be willing to move toward my spouse when he upsets or disappoints me, rather than move away emotionally and/or physically. In addition to that, it would be far easier to really examine my own stuff, instead of someone elses, in order to decide what is worth keeping, and what really needs to go.

Do I really need to hold on to my “darn rightness” and my anger, or do I need to “kick it to the curb” with all my useless junk. And what about all the “baggage” from my previous moves, shouldn’t I lighten up my load? It sure would make moving in the right direction easier don’t you agree? What if I became more intentional in repairing the areas in my marriage that have suffered from hurt or neglect? Maybe that would prevent having to make more costly repairs in the future.

All I know is this; I just watched an entire family (my neighbor’s) make the most difficult move of their life. That’s a move I don't ever want to make.

"Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can't bear grapes by itself, but only by being joined to the vine, you can't bear fruit unless you are joined with me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you're joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can't produce a thing."
-John 15:4-5 The Message