We all know that social media doesn’t tell the whole story, right? It’s the highlight reel of each person’s life, not the actual play by play of every messy detail. And we all have messy details. Even in Hawaii.
We’ve been sarcastically accused of having a really rough life here in Hawaii. I guess some people have the mistaken impression that it’s all sunshine and rainbows. And I also guess that I’m partly to blame for that misconception, seeing as I’ve been known to send pictures like this to my friends back in Texas.
That really is the view out my living room window. So I guess sometimes it really is sunshine and rainbows, but it’s definitely not that all the time. After I texted this picture to a couple friends, I felt a twinge of guilt when I turned around and saw the mess behind me. So in an attempt at full disclosure, I sent them this picture too.
At the time, we had just moved in to our Hawaiian home and to my defense, that open box was one of just two or three boxes we had left to unpack. We’ve since gotten some pictures on the walls and cleared out those corners. But this is real life here, folks, and I won’t try to sugar coat it.
And the truth is, sometimes I see the rainbows and sometimes I see the mess. Moving to Hawaii is one of the hardest things we’ve ever done as a family. We’ve had to say goodbye to so many favorite people and favorite restaurants and favorite pets and favorite comforts. Sure, we are enjoying the sunshine and the rainbows. But that’s only part of the story.
There have been tears. Lots of tears. Just about every day for the first few months, we were wiping tears off at least one set of cheeks. Sometimes it was the kids, sometimes it was us. And even six months in, we still have some days with tears. I’ve realized that what we’re experiencing is a lot like death. In fact, it is an actual, spiritual death that we have died. In so many ways, we have died to ourselves as we’ve followed Jesus to this beautiful place.
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
~Galatians 2:20
You don’t have to move across the ocean to die to yourself. You’ve gotta do it right where you are. Sometimes it means making a huge, life-altering sacrifice. Sometimes it’s a small change in attitude or speech. Dying to yourself means you give up what you want in exchange for what God wants. It’s as simple as that.
I’ve gotta point out one more thing – we aren’t crucified alone. We are with Christ. That’s what He came for, after all. Immanuel. God with us. We get to know Him so much more as we follow His example of death and we die to our own desires. Even in beautiful Hawaii.
Have you read about my Ten Hawaiian Surprises?
