As Long As We Live - It's You And Me Baby

There ain't nothing wrong with that - well we're movin on up........

Movin - a phrase made popular by the intro to the Jeffersons...I don't know about you but I was always a big fan of George Jefferson. Even tho he would have called a big white honkey, you had to love that show. And thus, it's movin week here at The Jonah Syndrome. Did you know:

• 43 million Americans move each year.
• 50% of all moves take place between Memorial and Labor Days.
• 11 – the number of times an average American moves during their lifetime.
• 2 Years: The time it takes a mover to "feel" settled.
• 6 Months: the average time necessary to become familiar with the surroundings

If the normal person moves eleven times, then our seven times puts us well on our way to being average. For those who know me, that's what I've always wanted to be was average :)

The major lesson I've learned in moving is flexibility. You have to be flexible. Both on the move and in life. Moving has a way of reducing the amount of stuff you own. It also has a way of keeping you from "getting too attached" to your house. The statistic above about it taking two years to feel settled is absolutely true. Jenni and I have average 18 - 24 months at each of our stops and "settled" is something we have definitely never felt.

But is that a bad thing? Are we supposed to feel "settled" here on Earth? Do missionaries to foreign lands ever feel settled? And we as missionaries here to North America, put here by God on purpose, should we feel "settled" in the United States culture?

These are the questions occupying my mind this week. Box after box, package after package, we slowly get ready to move one more time. Everyone I've ever talked to, with the exception of one and he's just a freak show who attended the University of Tennessee, has said "I HATE MOVING". I understand the feeling. Change is hard. Packing is hard. Leaving is hard (more about that later this week here on the blog). But moving can be a very spiritual experience and a time of reflection and growth as we are reminded that this world is not our home and our house is not our treasure. Jesus is.

So if you're feeling down spiritually - pick up and move - either through going to another house (not recommended) or in your soul. Take inventory. Pack up the good stuff and make sure you have it organized. Leave the trash and get it out of your heart. And ask God to identify the next place he would have your heart to land. You may find he just wanted to clean house in you for a while.

One last thing - and this is for those who are actually moving houses - ALWAYS PACK YOUR OWN BOXES!

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