""When you say you've got the Cloak, and clothes…" said Harry, frowning at Hermione, who was carrying nothing except her small beaded handbag, in which she was now rummaging. "Yes, they're here," said Hermione, and to Harry and Ron's utter astonishment, she pulled out a pair of jeans, a sweatshirt, some maroon socks, and finally the silvery Invisibility Cloak… She gave the fragile-looking bag a little shake and it echoed like a cargo hold as a number of heavy objects rolled around inside it."
I need Hermione's beaded bag. Why? Because after reviewing pages and pages of lists and lists of things to pack for this trip, I wonder how it'll all fit inside my suddenly tiny 70 liter backpack. And I need money so that I can get everything. I've got worries and questions floating around in my brain…
-What should I sell out of my belongings to help pay for this trip? What should I keep so I can sell it all for the next trip God takes me on? Look up Matthew 19:21.
-How should I sell it? Ebay, Kijiji, Craigslist, peer-to-peer? And how much for each thing?
-Should I sell my ridiculously huge and heavy laptop so I can buy a lighter, smaller one? Will I regret it if I end up doing that?
-I gave up one of my classes so I can start working more. I'm available for 4 days, but they only schedule me for two. How can I raise money on $10.75/hr with 10 hours per week? (btw, here in Canada, $10.75 isn't really that big of a number, things are more expensive here, so it rounds out to about the same as American living)
-I need to buy a new camera, because mine doesn't take video(they say you'll want to take lots of videos, and I know I will)
-I LOVE books. However, I cannot fit even half of my book collection into my backpack. So I would LOVE to get a Kobo reader. Those things are the best invention to book lovers since sliced bread.
And….
-Ok, this is DEFINITELY not on those packing lists, this is just some stuff I'll have to give up (and I know you've been in the same boat as me before, so bear with me here), but Dropkick Murphys are coming to town(EEEEK! EXCITEMENT!), Ted Dekker's new book comes out in under 2 weeks(LOVE LOVE LOVE), the new Harry Potter installment comes out on DVD in a few days, Wicked the Musical is FINALLY touring Canada(after YEARS of wanting to see it), and I have no extra cash lying around…I spent the last of that on the new Chronicles of Narnia movie that just came out (although, it was definitely worth it!). So, it looks like I'll have to give it all up. And I might just give away my new movie…Less is More, right, Relient K?
I guess all this is nothing compared to what God's got in store for me….Harry Potter will be in stores for pretty much ever, so will Ted Dekker's new book (*tear*), I MIGHT be able to see Wicked some other time in my life, same with Dropkick Murphys…and if I want to make it to training camp in July, that pricey $900 ticket to Tennessee will eat up all of my non existant savings.
Wow, when God tests me, He REALLY tests me.
…And suddenly, giving up those favorites doesn't seem like such a bad idea anymore, considering what I'll be doing. Being Jesus's hands and feet, loving on some of his beloved children, is something you can't put a price on.
That being said, I could definitely use some prayer, friends.
Pray that God will give me strength, courage, faith, and pray that I'll trust and rely on Him completely. When it comes to me being…well, me, I'm ridiculously independent, so a lot of the time I'll try to say to God, "Ok thanks, I've got it from here" and end up screwing up. I need to stop doing that. Fact.
Lesson #3 Learned: When it comes to following Jesus, He wasn't kidding when He said to give up everything.
"I'll say it again–it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!" Matthew 19:24
