Take a load off, Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off, Fanny
And (and, and) you put the load right on me
When the LamFam travels, we like our gadgets. Noise-cancelling headphones, phone-charging luggage, gum to keep your ears from popping during take-offs and landings; we bring quite the arsenal. Nothing, however, is as crucial as our luggage scale. You see, on most short trips, Brooks and I can get by with our carry-ons and backpacks. Hannah will have her suitcase, but she tends to pack light. And then there is Wendy…
I like to travel light. There aren’t many trips where I feel I need more than a pair of jeans, a couple pair of shorts and a few pullovers and T-shirts to get by. Toss in my shaving kit, socks and underwear, and I’m done. I used to pack a pair of khakis and loafers for Sundays – it’s the only time the four of us get to sit together in the pews like a normal family – but no need now, since we watch St. Luke’s online. Wendy, however, sees packing her suitcase as a challenge to get as close to the 50-pound bag limit as she can. I swear sometimes she switches the luggage scale to metric to claim every last gram to which she’s entitled. It’s not a problem going, but coming back can be a different story.
I have so many wonderful memories of our trips to the Holy Land, including the multiple times we’ve found ourselves sprawled out on the concourse at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv with our suitcases open. The souvenir T-shirts, caps and olive wood communion cups are lightweight. But each time we visit Yardenit to remember our baptismal vows, Wendy buys multiple large bottles of drinking water, pours them out, then fills them with water from the Jordan River. Brooks and countless other babies born in the past 20 years have been baptized with water we brought back from Israel. Do you know a gallon of Jordan River water weighs a little more than 8 pounds? The weight of those bottles adds up fast. Hannah, Brooks and I have learned to leave room in our suitcases for those times Wendy needs us to help share her load.
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:5). The Savior who was baptized in that same Jordan River wants us to help those having a tough time bearing their load. When we’re delivering Meals on Wheels, we see people who are dealing with health and mobility issues, poverty, loneliness and so many other things that weigh them down. We know the meal is important, but so many times it’s the smile, the kind words and taking a moment to listen that really makes a difference in a person’s life. As you go through your day, look for opportunities to love your neighbor by sharing the load.
– Chris Lambert, Director Meals on Wheels OKC
