Good-bye!
I typically don’t like good-byes, especially when they involve tears, kisses, long hugs! Sometimes my good-byes have been a quick wave of the hand. Leaving someone that you know you will see again is much easier and what I prefer.
My life has been filled with good-byes. Growing up, every five years, I said good-bye to a country that I grew to love. During my childhood, my most difficult good-bye for me was when I was 15 when I had to say good-bye to my friends and church in Ecuador. I had to decide what things I was going to take with me and what things I was going to leave behind. As a teenager, I felt very comfortable in Ecuador and considered it my home. I thought I would live there the rest of my life.
I remember our Farwell the church put on for us. Wow! There were lots of people there. We received lots of gifts, hugs, and kisses. Emotionally, I did NOT want to move back to the United States. My heart was broken. I was scared because I didn’t know what the States would be like. I would have to go to a new church, new school, pick new friends, everything would be different. When it came time to leave the airport, I couldn’t control the tears. Many of our friends had gone to the airport to say good-bye to us. I cried and cried and cried. I remember crying in the airplane as I looked out the airplane window. It was a sad day.
As a teenager, I was introduced to a good-bye that everyone has a difficult time with, that is, good-bye to someone you dearly love, due to the death of that person. I was 12 years old when my uncle Mike died. But the truth of the matter is that I didn’t REALLY say good-bye to him. That’s what makes sudden and unexpected deaths difficult. He died in a drowning accident. It was terrible. I remember my extended family gathered in the living room waiting to hear news that the rescuers had found his body. We waited three days. My aunt Susie and her children saw the accident happen. I can’t even imagine. There was nothing they could do. The water was so powerful that it just took him under. He was a favored uncle among the cousins since he was 18 years old and liked to hang out with us. I felt deep sadness and felt confused as to why God would take him from us.
The next good-bye that was impactful to my life was when I said good-bye to my mom as I left for the mission field. We both knew the decision our family was making was for a long time. It’s the career DeLynn and I chose for us, the same my mom and dad had chosen for their lives. I cried as I said good-bye to mom not just because I was going to miss her, but also because I knew that she knew exactly how I felt.
Little did I know I would have to say good-bye to mom five years later. She was diagnosed with a brain tumor. This was the hardest good-bye for me yet. I remember the night dad called me telling me mom’s diagnoses. For me, I think it was that night, emotionally, mom died, since things just weren’t the same after that. Mom and I loved to talk to each other. We were such great friends. But since the brain tumor affected her conversation, we were never able to have a conversation like we used to. It was no longer her taking care of me but me taking care of her. I was broken hearted.
But, I am eternally grateful to my Heavenly Father for giving me the privilege of saying good-bye to mom. And even though it was heart wrenching and I still get all choked up thinking about it, I cherish that special moment with my family as we stood around her bed, saying “Good-bye mom. We’ll see you on the other side!”
Since we’ve lived in Costa Rica, we’ve said good-bye to so many people. Some good-byes are harder than others. I remember the first time we said good-bye to our interns that spent eight months with us. That was so hard to see them go. I cried. And recently, we said good-bye to our first family that has helped us in the ministry. That was hard too. I cried again. One falls in love with them. They become a part of you. It’s difficult to think of life without them.
Good-byes are necessary because they bring closure. It’s like the end of a chapter and the beginning of a new one. I’ve learned that’s its ok to cry and maybe even feel anger, deep sadness, and a whole lot of other feelings. In all my good-byes, God has been my strength. He’s been my steadiness in times of trouble. Good-byes aren’t usually fun, unless it’s to something one is escaping or fleeing from. And sometimes good-byes are necessary, especially if God is telling you to do something else.” Like He told Abraham, “Go to a land that I will show you…” It’s then that we must obey. And with good-byes there is a process of grieving, saying good-bye to what once was but I believe God turns our sadness into pure joy too. That’s been my experience, learning through my good-byes and knowing that God is ultimately the only one that is eternal, who will ALWAYS BE.
I typically don’t like good-byes, especially when they involve tears, kisses, long hugs! Sometimes my good-byes have been a quick wave of the hand. Leaving someone that you know you will see again is much easier and what I prefer.
My life has been filled with good-byes. Growing up, every five years, I said good-bye to a country that I grew to love. During my childhood, my most difficult good-bye for me was when I was 15 when I had to say good-bye to my friends and church in Ecuador. I had to decide what things I was going to take with me and what things I was going to leave behind. As a teenager, I felt very comfortable in Ecuador and considered it my home. I thought I would live there the rest of my life.
I remember our Farwell the church put on for us. Wow! There were lots of people there. We received lots of gifts, hugs, and kisses. Emotionally, I did NOT want to move back to the United States. My heart was broken. I was scared because I didn’t know what the States would be like. I would have to go to a new church, new school, pick new friends, everything would be different. When it came time to leave the airport, I couldn’t control the tears. Many of our friends had gone to the airport to say good-bye to us. I cried and cried and cried. I remember crying in the airplane as I looked out the airplane window. It was a sad day.
As a teenager, I was introduced to a good-bye that everyone has a difficult time with, that is, good-bye to someone you dearly love, due to the death of that person. I was 12 years old when my uncle Mike died. But the truth of the matter is that I didn’t REALLY say good-bye to him. That’s what makes sudden and unexpected deaths difficult. He died in a drowning accident. It was terrible. I remember my extended family gathered in the living room waiting to hear news that the rescuers had found his body. We waited three days. My aunt Susie and her children saw the accident happen. I can’t even imagine. There was nothing they could do. The water was so powerful that it just took him under. He was a favored uncle among the cousins since he was 18 years old and liked to hang out with us. I felt deep sadness and felt confused as to why God would take him from us.
The next good-bye that was impactful to my life was when I said good-bye to my mom as I left for the mission field. We both knew the decision our family was making was for a long time. It’s the career DeLynn and I chose for us, the same my mom and dad had chosen for their lives. I cried as I said good-bye to mom not just because I was going to miss her, but also because I knew that she knew exactly how I felt.
Little did I know I would have to say good-bye to mom five years later. She was diagnosed with a brain tumor. This was the hardest good-bye for me yet. I remember the night dad called me telling me mom’s diagnoses. For me, I think it was that night, emotionally, mom died, since things just weren’t the same after that. Mom and I loved to talk to each other. We were such great friends. But since the brain tumor affected her conversation, we were never able to have a conversation like we used to. It was no longer her taking care of me but me taking care of her. I was broken hearted.
But, I am eternally grateful to my Heavenly Father for giving me the privilege of saying good-bye to mom. And even though it was heart wrenching and I still get all choked up thinking about it, I cherish that special moment with my family as we stood around her bed, saying “Good-bye mom. We’ll see you on the other side!”
Since we’ve lived in Costa Rica, we’ve said good-bye to so many people. Some good-byes are harder than others. I remember the first time we said good-bye to our interns that spent eight months with us. That was so hard to see them go. I cried. And recently, we said good-bye to our first family that has helped us in the ministry. That was hard too. I cried again. One falls in love with them. They become a part of you. It’s difficult to think of life without them.
Good-byes are necessary because they bring closure. It’s like the end of a chapter and the beginning of a new one. I’ve learned that’s its ok to cry and maybe even feel anger, deep sadness, and a whole lot of other feelings. In all my good-byes, God has been my strength. He’s been my steadiness in times of trouble. Good-byes aren’t usually fun, unless it’s to something one is escaping or fleeing from. And sometimes good-byes are necessary, especially if God is telling you to do something else.” Like He told Abraham, “Go to a land that I will show you…” It’s then that we must obey. And with good-byes there is a process of grieving, saying good-bye to what once was but I believe God turns our sadness into pure joy too. That’s been my experience, learning through my good-byes and knowing that God is ultimately the only one that is eternal, who will ALWAYS BE.
