When Others Are On The Move

JD and I have been so fortunate to reside in the same home for 6 years! We did move once before this big move without the aid of movers. My one and only practical tip for moving is how to label the boxes. Each room was assigned a color--living room-red, bedroom-green, garage-black, etc. We color coded all of our boxes by taping a piece of construction paper on top of each box to coordinate. In the new house we taped large pieces of contruction paper on the wall in each room with the assigned color. When our free labor (parents and friends) came to help move, they matched box colors to room colors. Viola!

Since we have been stationary for so long, we have seen many new people move into our neighborhood and church family. It is definitey not easy to be the new kid in town. I remember the days of feeling alone and overwhelmed with trying to get it all unpacked. Here are some things that others did for us and we try to do for others to help make transitions easier.

1. Treat the family. Who would turn down a homemade meal? In all the hustle and bustle of moving, there is not much time for cooking. An already cooked meal saves the family time and money. Or give them a basket of snacks to munch on between meals.

2. Offer to help. You can offer to help unpack, but it can be difficult for the new homeowner to know where they want to store things without having to make quick decisions to tell you where to put them. But you can help watch the kids. Have your kids play in the front yard with the new kids, where safety is not an issue. Or you could mow the yard to take that task off the family during the spring and summer months.

3. Invite them over. We felt so alone after making a cross country move. It was so nice to have people invite us out to lunch or over for dinner. It doesn't mean you have to be bussom buddies, but it shows them you care. But especially during the holidays when family is not around, make sure the newbies have a place to celebrate. Hey, Easter is this Sunday!   

4. Be a beacon for Christ. When neighbors move in (or anyone for that matter), you cannot see their heart. Let them always see Christ in you and be a witness for them so they will want what you have to offer--a relationship with the Savior!

What else do you do to make moves for others easier?