Over the limit....

Tomorrow, Jenna and I will be heading home from what has been a wonderful Thanksgiving vacation in Ohio. We've been sharing time with my cousin (aka big brother) Trent and his family.

As we were preparing to arrive, Jenna and I took great pains to ensure that we had packed enough jeans, jackets and sockets to keep warm while ensuring we did not go over the 50 lb airline luggage rule. You see, when you fly Southwest the first 50 lbs are free but after that they charge you... an arm and a leg.

So, we packed, then weighted the luggage on our bathroom scale just to make sure we had enough grace room to return home knowing full well we'd arrive back in Tampa with a few extra goodies. Sure enough, we just finished our repacking and guess what? We have added a few extra pounds.  Thankfully not enough to be over the limit.

As it often does, this experience illuminated a spiritual truth in my heart. After all, I'm all about finding truth where life meets faith. Today, the truth is simply this. We all have daily luggage limits. They show up on our ability to carry with us worries, hurts and disappointments. We can all handle them... up to a certain point. For each of us, our luggage load may be different. Some may be able to carry yesterday's pains but when they meet up with today's they become too much. Still others can carry around decades of unfinished business and one day while standing in line for groceries you decide that enough is enough.

The question on the table isn't how much can we carry but what will tip us over the limit? And what will be the cost of that overage?

I've made it a point in my life to pour my heart out at the foot of the cross every single day. I do that to ensure I don't get bitter, angry or overwhelmed. Now if the truth be told I don't always empty the whole bucket of emotions but I am getting much, much better. I've come to realize that the consequences of being over the limit are simply to great. The baggage I carry is simply to heavy and furthermore I'm not smart enough to figure out what to do with it anyway. So, dumping them fully (surrendering them) to Jesus is the other  thing I know how to do. I take up my cross and give it to my King. He promises that He will take care of it and that I can trust Him with it.

Psalm 68:19 tells us that "Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens".

He daily bears our burdens but only if we are willing to give them to Him. So here I sit, poured out and empty, ready to travel home knowing that tomorrow morning when I arrive at the airport I can be confident that my luggage will be free and my spirit will be too.

Praying this brings you some measure of encouragement. Until next time... be blessed!