Traveling Light

How do you travel?  Do you take everything but the kitchen sink?  Or do you throw a few duds in your bag and set out on your journey?   Whichever, it is challenging.  I know with my intelligence that traveling light is the way to go.  But my girlie side makes me want to have the right shoes and accessories to go with my outfits.  You guys probably can't identify.  But it's real to us girls. 

Since we are spending lots of time traveling to Florida to babysit, we also spend lots of time packing our bags for the trip.  So...I spend lots of energy trying to decide what to take so as to travel light but not leave out a necessity or something that I really would miss having.

Florida has been easier than Oklahoma, where our children lived previously, because of the more consistent and temperate climate. Shorts and skirts and sundresses ... plus a swimsuit, and flip-flops! of course! ... is just about it.  A sweater for cool nights in springtime or extra-cool airconditioning is plenty for outerwear, unless it's mid-winter.  Oklahoma, on the other hand, is very hot and windy or very cold and windy...one May it never did warm up.  I lived in borrowed sweatsuits the entire month, except for church and special evenings out, as I just had not brought the proper clothes.  My shorts, etc, were just not warm enough!

All this to say:  traveling light is definitely preferable but not always easy to do.   There's another side to this "traveling light" scenario as well...and it does not involve physical packing and physical baggage at all.  It's emotional baggage...or spiritual baggage...perhaps baggage of a social nature...that I'm talking about.

Sunday's sermon, at St Simon on the Sound Episcopal Church, Fort Walton Beach, hit on this very subject.  The gospel topic was Jesus' instructions to his disciples about wearing just one cloak, taking no money or extra clothes...no food, not even a bag! as they traveled around about spreading the gospel.  Not only was "traveling light" important physically for folks who walked wherever they went, it was important as a matter of priority.  Kind of like Jesus' words about the birds of the air having all they need...and the lilies in the field...the disciples were to prioritize:  take just what they needed and not one item more, for God would provide for them, even more than He does for the wildlife and flora of the earth which he created and maintains.  It would enable the disciples to focus on their mission without being burdened physically and mentally.

We can take a great lesson from this admonition, for "traveling light" can help us in so many ways.    When we pack lightly, it is very freeing, for it simplifies our lives.  Packing less means taking up less room in the car, in the hotel, in the guest closet.  It means we spend less time primping and deciding what to wear.  It also is freeing, mentally, when we keep our hearts and minds and souls and spirits free of worry and fretting and assuming and thoughts that are negative or critical.  When we empty ourselves of all these things, we are free to fill ourselves up with pure and lovely and positive thoughts...which lead to positive actions...and positive feelings and positive lives.

A heart and mind free of bitterness and fear and anxiety and stress...or at least keeping these things to a minimum if not eliminating them altogether...is so superior to the alternative.  We can live abundant lives, fulfilling our purpose, blooming where we are planted.  We can serve God and our fellowman with abandon and joy.  We can love others and ourselves as we put God first and let His light shine through us. 

So,  let's pack those light bags and get going on this wonderful trip called life!  It's well worth the effort of getting rid of the clutter and keeping just those things in our lives which are healthy and peace-producing.  May God bless our efforts and keep us on this road of life.