The Benefits of being Unmovable
Jody and I have lived in this house 17 years; for 17 years this has been our home. Until a few weeks ago, other than a lick of paint here and there, we invested no significant time or resources into our home. The most neglected feature of our home was its carpeting – it was as old as the house. The very day that we moved into our house I knew that the color would be too light for an active family of five humans, two dogs and a cat. I was right! 17 years after moving in, the carpet showed every stain made by our three children and their countless friends. It showed every stain made by our five grandchildren and their juice bags. Note: for a child, it defies the physical laws of the universe not to squirt a bag of red juice! And, the carpet showed every stain made by our aging farm of pets … if you catch my pee-stained drift 😊.
Three weeks ago, Jody and I took the plunge and replaced the carpet. What a huge undertaking that was! You see, when you replace carpeting in bedrooms and studies, you also have to replace the carpeting in their adjoining closets. Oh my! In general, I keep my house fairly tidy, but my closets, not so much. Though the gentleman who replaced our carpet didn’t speak much English, I understood him perfectly when he exclaimed in Spanglish as he opened each of my many stuffed closets, “C. R. A. P.” Correctly, he labeled much of our closet belongings ☹. A real dread overtook me as he made his way to my craft closet. You know this closet. In it you hide wrapping paper, left-over bows, tissue paper, frames, holiday decorations, etc. When he opened the door to this closet and peeked inside, he quickly slammed it shut and cried, “I need lunch!” Poor guy.
For many reasons Jody and I had pushed off replacing the carpet in our house – the inconvenience of it being highest on our list. Also, I had feared the work involved with carpeting our closets. But even though I anticipated the amount of work it would take, that task truly surprised me! What did not surprise me, however, was the one task for which I worried the most – moving the beast, our grand upright piano!
We bought the beast twenty-six years ago when we were still in the Army and stationed in Germany; in the midst of the drawdown of US forces in Europe. We lived in an apartment in the village of Echterdingen; in the outskirts of the city of Stuttgart. A year after moving there, we learned that the Army would soon pull out – our base would close and we would have to move yet again, this time to a new base two hours away in another village outside of city of Nuremburg. In our four years in Germany, we moved three times – not unusual back then. In Echterdingen, we attended an off-base church that met in the basement of a beautiful and ancient German cathedral. The closing of the US base in Echterdingen meant that the church would have to close too. The beast had served the church for many years, and was well loved, but because it was so big and heavy, nobody wanted it. This should have clued us in! But we were young and I had always wanted a piano, so we bought it from the church at the exorbitant price of $50. Actually, it was a steal. It is a grand upright 1882 Pfeiffer with an iron core. Nobody makes pianos like this one anymore! It is a “rock of Gibraltar” kind of piano, and everyone who attempts to move it says that it is filled with lead. We have moved it three times, and each time has been an ordeal. This first time we moved it, one guy had to be sent to the hospital. No lie!
Now, back to our carpeting ordeal. My piano sat in my study, so to get new carpet in my study, the piano would have to be moved. My husband and I strategized about how to move this mountain of a piano. I feared that moving it would be an impossible feat. The old carpet might have to stay. As frustrating as this was, there was yet something comforting about this – if ever our house was robbed, I knew that the piano would not be taken 😊. In a world full of change and inconsistencies, my piano was not one of them. She is “rock steady!”
My piano reminds me of a favorite scripture – Psalm 125:1. It says those “who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but endures forever.” Sisters, if you trust in the Lord, you will be un-movable! Through the power of the Holy Spirit, you will be able to endure all things. This is truly comforting! I am glad that I am not like an unbeliever who is tossed about with every wave (James 1:6). I want to be like my piano that says to me, “I am not going anywhere!” Because I blog about Christian marriages, I cannot help myself. I must draw a comparison. When Christians anchor their marriages on a covenant with God, they are also UNMOVABLE!
o If you cling to Jesus, your marriage can become a great place of security. It can be a place where you can allow your spouse to be used by God for your own sanctification. I believe that this has always been His plan (Ephesians 5:25-27).
o When you and your spouse purpose the foundation of your marriage to be on solid rock, with no chance that either will leave, it takes the volume down for each and every disagreement. This allows you to hear your spouse’s heart through the lens of the Gospel. This also helps you to grow in an understanding that with his or her statements, your spouse has your best interests in mind. You don’t have to scrutinize each and every word; instead, you can accept that they are meant for your good, even when the words sting a bit.
o When you and your spouse purpose your marriage to be as stable and as trustworthy as the good news of the Gospel, your children will experience greater security. In this security, they will witness their parents consistently serving each other. Because of this, they will more readily embrace the mission of the Gospel and will more readily serve others.
o When you and your spouse vow to love each other well, and purpose your marriage to be based on God’s promises, your marriage will become a beacon of light that will impact your neighborhood, your community and your church.
If Believers will but honor the vows they made in the covenants they made with God in their wedding ceremonies, the divorce rate for Believers and unbelievers will cease to be the same. Christians will become an example to the world for how to live in harmony with their spouse. Fifty-year anniversary parties will become vogue 😊!
Now for those of you who have been worrying about the 17-year-old carpet in my study, relax. Using a system of gliders, rugs, ropes, loud prayer, a lot of sweat, and big muscles, my husband and oldest son moved the beast. Though it felt like much further, they only had to move it to our foyer – a distance of about 12 feet. The carpet was replaced and the piano was moved back into place; where it will stay until I go to be with Jesus 😊! No one was hospitalized, and for that reason, Jody and I are claiming victory. WooHoo!
So, my brothers and sisters in Christ, be unmovable! Know who you are in Christ and live out your marriages as covenants with God. Stay washed in the Word and keep reading, friend!!
“Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away (Matthew 24:35).”
