Packing

"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are
never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?" Matthew 6:30

I have a sleeping pad. I scrounge around for the sleeping pad bag. The sleeping pad does have a
bag, or at least it did. Peppermint, bergamot, lavender essential oils are all packed, but I should pack a flashlight before getting too carried away…

I love the outdoors. I love to travel. This year I have conquered many new feats among mountains, valleys, deserts, hoodoos, and slot canyons. However, amidst the small task of packing, I become frustrated. Even after acquiring a plethora of books regarding minimalism, essentialism, and the capsule wardrobe; here I am.

As I scroll through an Instagram feed of people doing epic things, I eye the inspiring words of Bob Goff, “Love big, pack light.” If Bob was helping me pack right now, I would justify that I attempted to “pack light” when I invested in airtight-seal-bags on Amazon.

Exasperated, I plop onto my bed. Cushioned by heaps of towels, my bed plop is soft. I sink deeper and deeper and ponder, “What would packing look like if it was easier? Maybe, I have made packing for a fun trip hard. Maybe, it wasn’t meant to be this way.”

Throughout this season in Salt Lake City, I have repeatedly seen God interject with His presence, kindness, and humor when I least expect it and most need it. I have seen God’s beauty and majesty on breathtaking summit-hikes, ski-treks, cliff-repels, and trail runs. I have also felt God’s gentleness and assurance within presumably simple tasks, like packing.

Preparing for trips with Salt Lake Fellow’s has not just been about packing, and perhaps this is true of most things in life. Packing shines a flashlight on my heart’s grasp for control. Packing surfaces wounds of failure that my sustainable, eco-friendly, Band-Aids cannot mask. Packing brings me to my knees in prayer, on my cluttered bedroom floor, to the God who intimately knows my heart.
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I am awestruck by the truth that there is not a part of my life that God is not present. He calls me His beloved as I let the struggle of packing speak into my identity. God is with me as I navigate, stumble, and get back up time and time again with my messy room; messy heart. The God of the Universe delights in caring for me.

"O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and
when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying
down; And are intimately acquainted with all my ways."  ​
Psalm 139:1-3

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​Hannah Moerk
SLF Class of 18-19