I always say that I don't say "goodbye" only "see ya later". Well, I have had to say goodbye over the last week and let me say it is gut wrenching! I said goodbye to some very good friends over the last few days. Brandie, Heather, Brandon, and Ammie- you guys have been incredible friends to me and will be missed tremendously. Heather is my challenger-she makes me think and always is a reminder to check my focus. Brandie is a great servant-without her I would have most definitely died over the last 2 years. She became "nanny Brandie" to my girls and I am forever grateful for her amazing friendship and love-especially when I am sometimes unlovable. Brandon and Ammie are the great encouragers. They have just been "Jesus with flesh on" always reminding us that HE is mindful of us. As a couple, they have just been amazing to us!!
Yesterday, I said goodbye to my house. I love that house!! I would have stayed there forever-it was so hard to walk out of my girls rooms and know that they would never be there again. My girls grew up sooo much in that house and we just had so much fun as a family there. We also had some very difficult times there and the Lord really worked on us while we spent time with Him there. Just lots of memories in that house and I don't think I was ready to walk away from it.
The hardest to date has been my Popa. He has rectal and stomach cancer and is no longer able to take the treatments so he just IS. This is the man that took care of us when my mom was going through a divorce and no one was there to look after us. He made sure we ate, had a place to live, took us on vacation, made sure we had Christmas presents and that we knew we were loved. I cannot even begin to tell you all that he has meant over the years. Our moving has been very difficult for him. He is a believer, but has a hard time with us being called away. I can't help but think it is because he is afraid he will never see me again, this side of heaven. I love you Popa!!!!
There are many more tears to be shed over the next weeks and I am sure it will never get easier, but it is a necessary part of this process. The Spirit will be our great comforter.
Please pray for the Smith family- Don Smith has been Ian's mentor over the last 3-4 years and he died on Sunday. We are so sad to have lost him, but know that his was a GLORIOUS homecoming.
Also, please pray for the R family also. They are dear friends going through a terrible time with their son.
3 comments:
You are awesome!!! I miss you already. Prayed for you this week.... so sorry to hear about Ian's mentor. I have to admit I have a hard time expressing my feelings like you do on this blog. It is encouraging to me to tangibly read what the Lord is doing in you. Even though we talk about it, its another thing for you to share it with the world and it edifies my spirit as I read along with everyone else. I know the last few years have been long and hard but I have definitely learned much from you. We haven't always agreed, we haven't always communicated well but we forgive and we love and we fellowship nonetheless. This is what being SISTERS IN CHRIST means. I love you deeply. I am grateful for your friendship, for your forgiveness, for your transparency and for your obedience to the Lord. The Lord will make Himself known mightily through your family as you minister and proclaim the gospel in Spain. What an honor, what a privilege, what a life not wasted....... to use up your seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, years, life..... Glorifying God, enjoying and serving Him. There is no greater plan, He is reality. I praise Him for you and Ian and all that's ahead. If not on this side, then in eternity we will be together at His feet joyfully proclaiming that He is Holy and that this was all worth it. To Him be glory alone!! I love you.
Katie I love you so much!!! Thanks for being my friend and loving me as much as you do:) I have greatly enjoyed the time we have spent together! I know that the Lord is going to use you and your family in mighty ways when you move to Spain. Thanks for teaching me how to truly love someone no matter what the circumstances. Thanks for letting me be apart of your life even when times were hard. Knowing you has changed so much in my life. Your obedience to the Lord has been such a blessing to me and my family. And last but surely not least THANKS for letting me spend so much time with your girls. I know how much they mean to you and it has been an honor watching them grow and having the chance to love them!! I am reading a book called "The Quest for Character" and it says "Genuine character is all about who we really are inside. It's not about what we look like to others. Character is not a facade or a veneer. If it's not real, then by definition it has nothing to do with character. Every one of the Beautitudes focuses on what we are, not merely what we do." Katie, you have been REAL the entire time. Thank you for that! So many of us run around doing things believing this will change our character and make us humble, merciful, compassionate, etc. Things like being obedient to the Lord no matter what,persevering through the hard times, SUFFERING for the cause of Christ, and not wasting your life on the world, overflows humility, mercy, compassion, love, gentleness, self-control, etc. Seeing all of you was worth every minute and Christ was glorified and we were blessed! Your girls are very lucky to have you as their mom! NEVER forget that! I LOVE YOU!!! Stay REAL!!!
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