Reflections...

Went to the Paris area to celebrate the 40th anniversary of our friend's church. We started out there 36 1/2 years ago. There were so many people there that we have known through all these years! Some were kids when we came, and now they are grandparents! Being there made for some bittersweet memories. It made me feel kinda sad as well. I watched everybody with their families...and some were 4 generations worth... and I thought about how we are here, so far from our families. We love what we do, don't get me wrong, but sometimes...sometimes it is hard! We don't get to share in our kids and grandkids lives...we don't get to see first teeth, first crawl, first turning over, first day of school,graduation, or the other milestones in our grandkids lives. We aren't there to hug out parents and take them to the doctor when they are sick. We aren't there for the different holidays. Occasionally, when we are in the States we get to see them and share brief moments of their current lives, but those moments are few and far between.
Last summer, we celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary. Our church was so sweet and did a surprise celebration for us. We love our church, we really do! But there was a sadness, too, because those are the moments you want to share with family, too! You want them to be there all around you...you want to savor the precious view of the 4 generations gathered together.

When Christmas rolls around, we imagine what they are all doing. We wonder if they are having a blessed time, but feel, like us, that there is a missing piece in the family picture.
We've seen so many missionaries come and go, and so many that planned to be missionaries, but didn't go, and they are there with their loved ones, enjoying the sweet pleasure of church, family, holidays, vacations...and ya...sometimes it hurts deep down.

Then, it's like God puts His loving arm around us and gives us a hug. He turns our eyes outward, to the people whose lives have been changed because we were here to introduce them to Jesus. We were here to help them through the hard places in their lives.

We have wanted to quit many times...especially after we have put a lot of work into people and they stray from God. It is easy to think, "Why am I wasting my life here when they don't care?" The answer always comes...because GOD cares! We ALL fail Him from time to time, but He is still there, by our side. He put us here and He keeps us here. So we stay, we pray, we labor. It isn't always easy...in fact, it is often hard, but we know it is a task worth doing!
As you pass time with your families, take time to savor the moment. Sometimes those "moments" are what will keep you going!
Have a blessed day!