Boxes piled in corners – in walkways, in rooms. Attempting to fill these new spaces with our known belongings and finding that it’s difficult to unpack. The starting of a new journey feels weighed down by possessions which have been boxed for weeks.

Life is like that too.

In the grand scheme of moving forward – living into the broken beautiful-ness and the kingdom here and coming – attempting to bring all of our expectations and learned ways into a journey that doesn’t require them. We find ourselves struggling along, attempting to match our own notions into true understandings and the puzzle pieces keep sticking around the edges – corners need to be cut off for these pieces to fit.

This constant struggle to fit ourselves and our own baggage into the journey means we miss the beautiful views and the little – almost unnoticeable – everyday miracles that make up this crazy life.

I am attempting this week to live into the spaces – boxes be damned – to play with the kids and enjoy the sunsets (and sunrises too at this rate).  School starts for me in just a week, and even in the barely muffled stress which tells me I am walking into this year without the slightest clue of what to expect besides busy, running-around, trying to keep up days – I know I have to let go – no expectations will fit this year – no amount of pre-planning or precisely scheduled calendar reminders will guarantee that this will go smoothly.  All I can do is keep moving forward – holding hands and hearts with my family as we go, and each of us needing a leg up this year as we keep climbing on – further up and further in people – everyday.