A Life Lesson from Travel Size Shampoo

Long ago and far away in another life, I travelled for my job and learned how to pack efficiently. The rule of picking one or two pairs of shoes and coordinating all of your wardrobe around them is especially important when you wear a size 12 shoe.I was pretty good at packing back then. Apparently, however, I’m out of practice. A couple of weeks ago, I broke all the rules and headed to the airport by myself with two suitcases, a jacket, and a carry on. It was embarrassing. No one needs that much stuff. I crossed my fingers for a nice Uber driver, coordination, and wide spaces to wield my suitcases around until I could check one of them in and end the spectacle.On the other end of the travel day, I met up with Chris. It happened to be the night before my birthday and somehow, in the middle of all our chaos and travel, he had remembered my birthday and had a gift ready for me. In the gift bag he handed me was a card that made my heart full, together with four little travel size bottles of my favorite shampoo and conditioner… something I can rarely justify purchasing.It was perfect… especially for someone who didn’t have a spare inch left in her suitcase! As I reflected on the gift and his words in my card, I realized how much my packing experience and my birthday gift represented the old and the new. You see, I’ve spent the first half of my life with suitcases overflowing with options and backups and extras. I thought I had to have it. Without a few extra options and a plan B or C, I’d feel like I had let myself down. If I’d been an Israelite back in the day, I’d have definitely been guilty of attempting to grab more manna than I needed in one day. If you know the story, you’ll remember that the manna was God’s perfect provision of food for one day at a time during the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness. Anything more than that would spoil.[bctt tweet="Even when comfort and worldly security are stripped away, God’s still good."]My little sample sizes were just the picture that God is both sufficient and abundant. I certainly could’ve just used the hotel shampoo… but there was something about closing my eyes and smelling that smell on my birthday and remembering that God is a God of details who loves His daughter. Even when comfort and worldly security are stripped away, He’s still good. His provision one day at a time actually causes me to look for Him more, rather than take Him for granted. I’d always prefer to buy the Costco size, but sometimes it’s a sweet reminder of dependence when we’re given the travel size.What about you? Where are you thinking you need more?

• More security?
• More resources?
• More answers?
• More control?

If God has you in a season where He’s asking you to pack light and live with the travel size, trust what His Word says…

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.(2 Corinthians 12:9)

[bctt tweet="God's grace is sufficient for you, for His power is made perfect in weakness."]