Tips for a Winning Move
OR Lessons from the gridiron
What is it that signals Fall for you? Is it the leaves as they take on rich tones of red and gold or their musty aroma after they’ve fallen to the earth? Is it the start of a new school year and the laughter of children on the school playground? Muggy, hot air giving way to cooler temperatures? Sure, it may be all of the above, but for many households it’s the whistles, grunts, and familiar voices of Monday night football emanating from the TV. You may or may not be the one sitting down to enjoy a game, but you have more in common with those brawny players than you know.
Like an ‘away’ game, you may be running on the unfamiliar turf of a new home, and Just Moved Ministry is cheering you from the sidelines as you kickoff the fall and “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14)
A quarterback never steps on the field without checking in with the coach or listening and watching for his signals. You, too, are the “ball carrier” for your move and your team (family members) moving with you. God cares deeply about every part of your move and is going to coach you to a victorious transition. Don’t try to win this game on your own! Take some time to put together a game plan.
1. Go deep
Spend some time every day in God’s Word. This indispensable Playbook will encourage, instruct, and inspire. After the move, find a Bible Study that you can be a part of. A Moving On After Moving In class or any other Bible study will help you to feel part of a team and keep you running in the right direction.
2. Huddle up
During a move everyone in the family needs to “huddle up” together to stay connected, be informed, and receive instruction. Even a teenager who mayact as if he or she wants to pull away really wants to be included. This is your opportunity to fill everyone in on the progress of the move and to check on each other’s emotional, spiritual, and physical status.
3. Time out
Grab every chance that you can to have some down time. Whether you’re waiting for your son’s piano lesson to end, the little ones have gone down for a nap, or you find yourself home alone, fix a cool drink and put your feet up or go for an energizing walk. While you will be tempted to make every moment “productive”, sometimes quiet rest or alone time is the most productive thing you can do.
4. Lateral pass
A quarterback would never make it through an entire game if he never passed the ball off to a teammate. Ask for help from family members and friends. Be willing to delegate tasks and to enlist the aid of friends. Jonny could pack his own toys, daughter Sara could fill out change of address forms, and packing (or unpacking) could become a social event with a few friends.
5. Don’t sweat a fumble
Even the best players may fumble the ball. Interference, interceptions, and incompletion may cause you to fumble the ball, but it doesn’t have to mean that you’ll lose the “moving game.” Just because you snapped at your kids, packed the overdue library books, or feel waves of anxiety over this move, doesn’t mean that you can’t recover the ball and continue on toward the goal. Expect setbacks. Expect a loss of yardage. But keep your eyes on the goal and don’t lose hope. Check in with The Coach for the next play.
6. Double team
A particularly formidable opponent often calls for “doubling teaming”. According to James Alder’s Guide to Football, this is “playing two defensive players against one offensive player in order to prevent him from making a play.” Satan wants to tackle you, rob you of your joy, and fill you with all kinds of worries. But Scripture assures us of this: "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst." (Matthew 18:20) and “...greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4) Commit to pray with your husband, with a friend (on the phone or skype if you need to), or with a pastor or mentor against Satan’s attacks during a time when you may be exhausted and vulnerable.
7. Play offense
Write out the steps for reaching your goal of a smooth move (see our Moving Countdown). Don’t try to keep it all in your head. When you’ve created a list of the myriad tasks to accomplish, you’ll get more done, use your time more efficiently, forget fewer things, enjoy the satisfaction of ticking them off, get a little less crazy, and do less last-minute scrambling.
8. Be patient with personal fouls
A personal foul may be called in football for (among other things) late hits and unnecessary roughness. You may experience “late hits” by your teenager who is dreading the move. Moving is especially challenging for teens and you may find yourself the target of your teen’s frustration over having to leave friends and familiarity. Assure him or her of your love and Christ’s promise to provide strength for each day and bright hope for the future (see Jeremiah 29:11). Unnecessary roughness could come from the moving van that failed to show up, the new teacher that seems to have no empathy for the unique needs of your child, or the loneliness you feel. People will disappoint, mistakes will happen, and expectations will be violated, but don’t lose heart. Jesus never disappoints, Jesus never makes a mistake, Jesus will help you with your expectations, and he’ll give you the ability to be patient and trust Him with the outcome.
9. Celebrate in the end zone
No penalty for celebrating in this end zone. Throw a little party for yourself and your family (even if the dog is the only family that moved with you!) after the move is complete. Any move is a tremendous feat and should be acknowledged and congratulated. Bring in pizza, put on some party hats, and have a victory party in your new home: the end zone.
- Ann Kelley
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