goodbyes.

I wonder who said the first goodbye?

It must have been a sad realization & process trying to figure out what to call it. Furthermore, adding that "good" to the front end of bye doesn't really make it good. Just sayin...

I truly hate goodbyes. I don't think anyone really likes them, but if I could skip ahead & miss goodbyes completely that would be great.

I wonder what it felt like for Christ? I mean, we know our lives are temporary & eventually this will end: we all have a life expectancy. BUT He came to earth knowing His purpose. Did he know when? His life must have felt like one big goodbye from the start. I WOULD BE MISERABLE. Only He could have bore that burden. But we're ever so thankful that He did.

Death is another, more tragic version of a goodbye. We already hate goodbyes & then you have to add that they will no longer be on earth. Rough news.

We were made as one body in Him. As all parts of the body work to function as a whole, we all work & function together in this life. Community. True community is never really having to say goodbye. It's meeting again in eternity on day. Not that our purpose in Heaven will be to reminisce & catch-up, but we all know it's never over & it's never really goodbye.

It's amazing that people can mean so much in such a short period of time. It's only been a year for me here at UM... & it feels like forever (in a good way)! Some of the people I've met in the past year feel more like old friends. It's amazing how God can put you in a place where He knew that would happen. Now do I know how long I will be here at this point? That might be a question for another day, or at least for February 1st (the annual signing day). For now I won't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have worry for itself.

-Kristen

a lot to catch-up on

Well, life happens, & 8 months later we are here. Many changes have occurred & people have come & gone (including youth pastors). All the while, I'm primarily trying to learn how to say the word "NO." I have transitioned out & back in at youth (Spanish Fort UMC), I've taken a new position at the University of Mobile (Campus Life Coordinator), & I'm attempting to figure out where Africa fits into this whole picture. All I do is rest on the fact that He is ultimately in control. I have been wrestling with what that looks like in a practical sense...

Do we just sit & rest? Or is rest just a feeling, not a physical state? We must be moving & acting in order for things to change. I would prefer a sign in the sky, but somedays it's not that clear. God also realizes His limitations... OH WAIT HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY! He doesn't limit. If we are in line with His perfect will, anything is possible.

Now how far does that go in my situation? That remains to be seen... or not seen, because maybe God is trying to stretch me & grow my trust in Him. Not everything in life needs deciphering. Sometimes it's as easy as: trust in the Lord & carry on. Other times, the next step is as clear as mud. God moves & works in all ways; in muddy waters or in crystal clarity, He moves.

We try to squeeze God into our plans or work or life when in fact He is the foundation of it all. What is a house without a foundation? It is merely a crumbling pile of bricks, not a place to call home. I put my rest in Him alone. He is my peace, my foundation, my everything.

Lord give me diligence to be in Your word & faith to live it.

-Kristen