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Saturday, July 19, 2008

Baggage Claim

Since all of the recent joys and trials with our oldest daughter it has really caused me to think about choice. Every day we are faced with choices.
Some easy such as what will satisfy our hunger in the middle of the day and others that will change the course of our life.
As I have been forced to relive my past from watching my daughter repeat my behavior it has made me really think about the choices I have made over the years. Some good and some I hope God never asks me to share here.



Recently I attended the She Speaks conference and it was amazing as I have shared. Here is a picture of my traveling partner and friend, Kelley after we arrived at the North Carolina airport on Friday June 20th. We had found a Starbucks moments after getting off the plane so we thought the conference was in Heaven.





We were so clumsy as we walked through the airport with our luggage, a carry on bag, a lap top plus the hot beverages we added. If there were any people watchers observing us I'm sure we entertained them. We looked highly challenged as we struggled to pull around our 50 outfits for 3 days and not burn ourselves with our overpriced White Chocolate Mocha's.




It was so nice to get to the hotel and not have to carry that luggage around any more. I can't imagine if when we got to the hotel we were informed that we had to carry our luggage with us throughout the whole weekend. We would have really had a difficult time trying to go from session to session pulling our stuff behind us.




Sunday after the conference ended we had many hours before our flight left so Missy, Kelley and I went to the mall for some sales and lunch. We were blessed to be able to leave our luggage at the hotel and pick it up on the way to the airport. If we had been required to take it with us to the mall we wouldn't have been able to go because the car we rode in was already packed. We were dropped off at the mall by Amy and Carol who had already been mega shopping that weekend and barely had room for us with the trunk full of their luggage and bags from Children's Place.





Later that night when Kelley and I arrived in Chicago for our connecting flight we literally had to run through the airport to our gate. I think I even broke a sweat we were moving so fast. Luckily we're able to check our bags in and let someone else worry about getting them to our destination because if we would have had to carry our luggage through O'Hara airport I probably would've just sat down and cried.




When we make regretful choices we have a choice. We can either carry the regret around with us or give it to Jesus. When we choose to carry the bad baggage around we miss out on what God has in store for us. Shame kept me from being involved in ministry for years. Kept me from getting close to God and other believers.When the choice is made to give our past to Jesus, once we are forgiven, we no longer have to carry the negative around with us. The shame and the tears, Jesus takes it all and turns it around for good.
Just like we were able to leave our luggage at the hotel, we are able to leave our burdens at the foot of the cross. We don't need to be weighed down with the bad choices of our past. No matter how ugly your past is, give it to Him and unlike at the hotel, you don't have to go back for it. Just walk away and see what God does with it. It may be years before He uses it, but when He does, the glory will shine bright upon Him.




Kelley and I arrived into Kansas City to our eagerly awaiting husbands shortly after midnight and then we stood at the baggage claim with many other tired and weary passengers waiting to pick up our luggage. When we give up the baggage of our past to Jesus, the line at the baggage claim holds only One as Jesus waits for the tired and weary to drop off their past.
His Name is the One that is on the claim ticket tied to the handle of your baggage.
He patiently waits and when He sees your junk come around the corner He steps up to the moving belt, grabs it and changes the look of your past forever.

~Many Blessings~

15 comments:

Yolanda said...

Just think, when we do that, give Him our junk...then we no longer have junk in our trunk! (Trunks used to be luggage years ago.....)

I was thinking aboout this great visual you shared with us, that when I have my hands full of BAGGAGE, I'm always BUMPING into somebody else with MY baggage. Hurting them, unintentional, but hurting them just the same. And then, with my hands full from all that I'm carrying with me, I can't get close to them, wrapping my arms around them, to love them LIKE GOD INTENDED FOR ME TO LOVE THEM. WOW....God is really speaking to me. Now, who has written a book?

Love ya!

Tami said...

I'm glad to hear shame will no longer hold you back, Lelia. You are a fresh voice, one that touches people. I don't think you have to wait around for God to use your past. He already is.

(Can I be completely honest and tell you I'm a little jealous sometimes?)

God absolutely is using your past AND your present to His glory. Hold on to Jesus, babe, and you will get through. I personally think the view is already beautiful. You have my respect.

Kelley said...

I feel so honored to be a part of your baggage story!!LOL I can't believe you got so much out of our adventure. Great insight my friend. And thank you for not mentioning the fact that my baggage outweighed and outnumbered yours by a ton!! Even the baggage is easier to handle when doing so with a friend! I am grateful God brought us together in our travels through life....

Love,
Kelley

Oh, and I made a choice to save the chicken and send my hubby out for an enchilada last night! Probably not a smart choice but a yummy one!

Anonymous said...

Awesome Lelia!!!

I am amazed that my Lord just keeps taking my baggage over and over again. You would think he would be so sick and tired of me BUT he isn't!!! Amazing!!!

Thanks for using your life experiences to reach out to others. And I suspect that Miss Alyssa will someday follow in her Mama's footsteps to do the same.

Unknown said...

Who knew? I mean, we know, but we don't apply that often. Why do we continue to carry our baggage around? Jesus gives rest to the weary and will carry our load, if only we will let Him.

Great story girl. I love the life application and example. :)

Prayers and blessings!
Rebecca

p.s. How's the cleaning going?

Jill Beran said...

Thanks for the wonderful illustration. Keep moving forward with Him and letting go - and don't forget to share along the way, it encourages us all to do the same. Blessings, Jill

Unknown said...

Lelia:

You provide such insight. Thank you for allowing us to look in on your journey and learn from it!

Here's to letting Jesus handle all our baggage so we can travel lightly (walking in his light).

Mari

Paula V said...

Lelia,
You have such a wonderful gift to apply real life stories applicable to our spiritual walk. This is an outstanding analogy. I'm so glad Jesus has taken your baggage. I think I try to put my hand back on it from the guilt.
Blessings, friend.
Love ya,
Paula

HisPrincess said...

Thankyou Lelia. Again you have spoken straight to my heart. "watching my daughter repeat my behaviour". *Shudder*

Thankyou for reminding me to leave my baggage behind.

Anonymous said...

As always, such a wonderfully appropriate read for me - thanks!... Had a good little laugh at your comment on my blog - wouldn't it be great if we could stay up all night, when it was peaceful and quiet and get those kind of sweet chores done, without needing to hold our eyelids up with toothpicks!?!?!?!!, so that we could either a) do them for ourselves, or 2)do them for friends who can't be bothered or won't or don't think they can do it for themselves...

Anonymous said...

I meant to add - although I know you're jesting - I would SO love to help you out there... if only... I find it such a relaxing and 'contenting' hobby - would do it all day if I could... I'd hate to imagine my home, though, if that were possible!!! Now, I'm off to the Land of Nod.

Susan said...

Hey Sweet Lelia,

Once again, a great post, and you painted a perfect picture for us to see.

I'm so blessed God is there patiently waiting for my junk, and transforms it to something beautiful for HIM.

Still praying for you and your family daily.

Blessings to you♥

PS Can't wait to see the the beautiful creation He is working on in your daughter's life, I know the ending of her story, it's going to be AWESOME!!!

2nd Cup of Coffee said...

That's a great parallel, Leila.

LynnSC said...

Whoa!! That is an awesome post. I am again blessed by your writing. I have also given a lot of baggage to the Lord to carry for me. He has been so gracious... not allowing me to take it back and try to carry it again. He has actually used much of it to His glory.

Thanks so much for this. I needed the reminder.
Lynn

Anonymous said...

Oh Lelia,
What a wonderful description of what God did for me yesterday in my counseling session yesterday... finally leaving some luggage behind. God is SO good!
I have finally been able to throw some stuff in the trash... baggage that I don't need to carry around anymore.
Thank you Jesus!
Hope you have a good trip, and hope to hear from you soon,
God bless you!
Heather