Dec 28, 2025 – Baggage
Like yesterday, I’m again a day late writing. It almost feels like it’s still the 28th because it’s dark and very early in the morning, but I know it’s Monday the 29th because I’m sitting in a colonoscopy waiting room. I’ve had my share of them, but it’s Don’s turn today; so, I have a bit of time ahead of me, while I wait, to do both yesterday and today’s entry. That will be good company.
As Pastor Blake Lindsay (Church of the Highlands) got started with the sermon yesterday, I almost didn’t stick with it because he was talking about the benefits of his, and his son’s, light carry-on suitcases over his wife and daughters’ pile of luggage when they go on trips. He spoke about how the females took things “just in case” rather than “just what’s needed.” I spoke to the screen reminding him of all of the extras his wife likely pulls out of her bags when he likely asks “do we have –” at some point during their trips. I realized that he of course must have a point that went beyond this; so, I stuck with him a little longer. His message was about how much extra emotional baggage we take with us in life, and he was encouraging us to not do that as we move into the new year. I even took notes (which isn’t unusual for me); so, I think it would be worth a listen if you’re looking for something to keep you company sometime.
JC – “I am your Refuge and Strength, an ever-present Help in trouble. Therefore, you don’t need to be afraid of anything….” That is one of the main things I wrote down that Pastor Blake said. I try to not worry or be afraid, but things do concern me and I certainly do ruminate over things from the past that I question; so, it always gives me peace when I’m reminded that God is bigger than every misstep and mistake made by me or by others against me. He works it all out for our good (Romans 8:28).
Young speaks in God’s voice as she reminds us, “The media are increasingly devoted to fear-inducing subject matter…. Every day I manifest My grace in countless places and situations, but the media take no notice. I shower not only blessings but also outright miracles on your planet. As you grow closer to Me, I open your eyes to see more and more of My Presence all around you.”
Power – 1 Thessalonians 5:18 – “Thank [God} in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will].” Joyce writes, “To help you achieve and maintain a new level of contentment in your life, I encourage you to make a list of everything you have to be thankful for…. The Bible says we are to be thankful and say so…. It wll be amazingly helpful to you.”
Utmost – Matthew 18:3 – “Except ye be converted, and become as little children…” Little children, like Pastor Blake, only take the essentials on their trips (which may seem like a lot at times) relying on their parents to have everything else they may need. This is a good visual of taking only what we need into the new year and trusting God to provide as we go. Pastor Blake said, “It is good for us to look back, but it is important for us to live forward.” We can leave the baggage of the past behind trusting Him to ease the burdens on our hearts. Chambers points out a caveat to the moving forward plan, “…we have to be continuously converted all the days of our lives, continually to turn to God as children. If we trust to our wits instead of God, we produce consequences for which God will hold us responsible…. Because we have done it once is not proof that we shall do it again. The relation of the natural to the spiritual is one of continuous conversion, and it is the one thing we object to…. God holds us responsible every time we refust to convert ourselves, our reason for refusing is wilful obstinacy. Our natural life must not rule, God must rule in us.”
Streams – Philippians 4:4 – “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” Cowman offers, “And when He hears you sing, He will bend down with a smile on His kind face. As He cheerfully listens, He will say, ‘Sing on, dear child. I hear you and I am coming to deliver you. I will carry that load for you. SO just lean hard on Me, and the road will get smoother by and by.” I picture a parent being delighted by the sweetness of a child and how that same parent will smooth over something the child does that hurts one or both of them, just like God does with us.
JC – “HOW PRICELESS IS MY UNFAILING LOVE! This is truly a gift of heavenly proportions. Remember the unspeakable price I paid to secure this gift for you…. So stand tall as you journey through your life…. Let My unfailing Love fill you with exuberant Joy as you walk along the path of Life with Me.” The new year approaches, but so does the possibility for recovery and renewal. (See Psalm 36:7 and Psalm 16:11).
[As Don was filling out his paperwork, he reminded me of a number of years ago when we thought we were being efficient scheduling our colonoscopies on the same day, but not thinking that his mom would be responsible for two people coming out of anesthesia. We don’t think we were that much trouble, but she may have a different opinion! We did drive ourselves to our couple’s mammogram appointments several years before that. It has just been convenient to be able to schedule these procedures together but it’s also a sweet togetherness that we appreciate after only getting the second half of our lives to share.
I have to say that having this to concentrate on has kept me from focusing on and being frustrated by the other people in the waiting room who are fairly thoughtless in sharing this space with others: the man who either forgot or doesn’t own earbuds, the man who needs to talk to others on his phone this early in the morning, the woman with the loud ring on her phone (and never seems to be able to find her phone as it rings and rings), the woman who has that tapping sound when she presses the keys on her phone, and even the people who have to keep coming back to their “driver” to give them the things they forgot to take off that the intake person told them to take off before they go back for the procedure. Oh, and the hummer (enjoying a tune that isn’t recognizable to anyone else in the room.) If someone starts smacking and popping gum around me, I’ll just have to go stand in the hall!]
