Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: First (as in original) (01/10/05)
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TITLE: 2 Duffel Bags | Previous Challenge Entry
By C.L. Burden
01/12/05 -
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My younger brother, Walt has always been someone that could easily be referred to as a free spirit. He’s single and mobile and that’s the way he likes it. It’s never been uncommon for him to contact the rest of the family from some unexpected location. One winter he ski instructed in Colorado, his summers are often spent competing in volleyball tournaments and boating. Make no mistake, he’s not a bum or lazy. He has been self-supporting for all of his adult years. He’s intelligent, educated and a great money manager which enables him to keep up such a life style.
Last year he came to live with us for a few months. I’ll never forget the night he arrived. He pulled into the drive way in his truck and walked to the door with two duffel bags. John said, “Let me help you unload!” Then Walt answered in his casual tone, “This is it.”
TWO DUFFEL BAGS! He had to be kidding! I mean really, it took a 24-foot moving van, packed top to bottom to move my stuff! Moving for me required weeks and weeks of packing and sorting. And here my kid brother (just 2 years younger than me) shows up with his world stowed away in two duffel bags.
Many times since that night, the thought of Walt (and “his light load”) has made me think of all of the unnecessary baggage I carry around. Oh not the material possessions I have (though I know many of them are unnecessary too) but, the emotional baggage. Often times the effects of guilt, worry, bitterness, jealousy, anger (and numerous other sins) fill my heart beyond capacity so that no moving van could ever haul away the hurt I feel. But…through the grace of God we find that we don’t have to carry any of our pain with us. 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Casting all of your cares upon him, for he cares for you.” Plain and simple, it’s right there in the Word of God. I give all of my cares to Him. All? Wait, does that say “all?” Let’s look again…yep, that’s what it says.
Now I seriously doubt my earthly “stuff” will ever fit into two duffel bags. (Let’s be honest here, my shoes won’t fit into two duffel bags.) But, my emotional baggage can fit into far less than that. In fact in the hands of God, it can be non-existent (it says so right in the bible.)
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