sad goodbyes ahead

I hate goodbyes. I am sure all missionaries do. You'd think we would get used to it, but we never do. You'd think it would get easier, but it never does. As I said my tearful farewells to my mom, dad and sister this past weekend, my mom reminded me, "God has called us to a life of goodbyes." Oh, so true.

The boys were feeling it this week as well. They were all in tears about one thing or another as our family made some long-awaited concrete plans to leave. I think it really hit them that we are leaving and that life as we know it will change. A few months ago, one of them expressed it so well..."I hate all the goodbyes, and then all the hellos, and then all the goodbyes again." I nodded and sighed in agreement. Me too. I know we all need to feel this sadness and work through these hard emotions that separations and transitions bring. It's definetly not fun though and I dread it for months. It's hard enough for us as adults to deal with, but even harder for us as parents. We want to help our kids work through these transitions well. I know I need to give my kids the freedom to feel and express those feelings, yet I want to gently guide their hearts and heads back to God's promises of help, comfort and good things to come.

I wish I could push "fast-forward" to 1 month from now when all the goodbyes and hellos have been said and we are settling into our new normal; making a new house home. But, God has us here. This is His best for us today...and tomorrow...and the next few weeks. God has been so faithful through all our past moves. He will comfort us through all these sad goodbyes and enable us for all those new hellos.