What a morning of tears. I thought that I was going to get a little teary. I didn’t know I would sob. But I was tearing up during the opening prayer and by the end of the service, while I knelt at the altar (something we seldom do at our church) with my husband and children kneeling with me, with the hands of people I love on my back and shoulders, it was just too much. And then the many hugs and so many other sobbing people. It was very difficult. And the fact that I haven’t slept well in weeks and am exhausted from packing didn’t help.
New worship, which comes an hour later, was even worse. At the end in our prayer circle many were crying. One of the teenagers said, “I’m thankful that we can cry together.” I think that sums up the experience we have had in Luverne. We have been genuine together. We have been able to open up and be ourselves, with laughter and tears.
The prayer circle was followed by the singing of my favorite new worship song and then a long line of people to hug and cry with. Lots and lots and lots of tears. Bart and I both, and the girls, were able to express our emotion in a healthy matter, with words of love and tears exchanged. Our sons, on the other hand, haven’t been able to express their grief in such a healthy fashion... maybe more on that later.
I cannot possibly begin to go down the list of the people that I love in our church and why because I would forget and unintentionally leave people out. I can’t express the ways in which these people have been able to share their lives with us, care for our children, and love us unconditionally. With both of our families miles away, they have become our parents, our neices and nephews, our grandparents, our sisters and brothers, uncles and aunts. They have accepted us as we are -- very, very imperfect people, and loved us through good and bad years. Later as we had one of our best meals together as a family (well, almost all of us -- Salinda’s friend joined us and John opted not to go) I said to Bart ... "you can’t ask for much more. They were thrilled to have us come and are sobbing that we’re leaving. It was a great run, a wonderful ride."
So all of you from the Luverne UMC who read this blog, our love to you. We’ve said it many times today, but THANK YOU for all you’ve done for us, with us, through us, to us, and in spite of us. The ways that you have been adventurous and allowed God to change you has inspired us. The ways that you have prayed for us has motivated us and given us courage and strength. The ways that you have loved and cared for our children, troubled as they may have been, has moved us to tears more often than not. We could not have asked for a better family to be a part of for the last seven years.
In a day or two once we’re done with the exhaustion of packing and moving, we will begin to look forward, knowing that God has great things in store for us in the future. But for now, we’re looking back, grateful and amazed at God’s provision. These have been the best yet the hardest years of our lives and we leave humbled by His grace.
New worship, which comes an hour later, was even worse. At the end in our prayer circle many were crying. One of the teenagers said, “I’m thankful that we can cry together.” I think that sums up the experience we have had in Luverne. We have been genuine together. We have been able to open up and be ourselves, with laughter and tears.
The prayer circle was followed by the singing of my favorite new worship song and then a long line of people to hug and cry with. Lots and lots and lots of tears. Bart and I both, and the girls, were able to express our emotion in a healthy matter, with words of love and tears exchanged. Our sons, on the other hand, haven’t been able to express their grief in such a healthy fashion... maybe more on that later.
I cannot possibly begin to go down the list of the people that I love in our church and why because I would forget and unintentionally leave people out. I can’t express the ways in which these people have been able to share their lives with us, care for our children, and love us unconditionally. With both of our families miles away, they have become our parents, our neices and nephews, our grandparents, our sisters and brothers, uncles and aunts. They have accepted us as we are -- very, very imperfect people, and loved us through good and bad years. Later as we had one of our best meals together as a family (well, almost all of us -- Salinda’s friend joined us and John opted not to go) I said to Bart ... "you can’t ask for much more. They were thrilled to have us come and are sobbing that we’re leaving. It was a great run, a wonderful ride."
So all of you from the Luverne UMC who read this blog, our love to you. We’ve said it many times today, but THANK YOU for all you’ve done for us, with us, through us, to us, and in spite of us. The ways that you have been adventurous and allowed God to change you has inspired us. The ways that you have prayed for us has motivated us and given us courage and strength. The ways that you have loved and cared for our children, troubled as they may have been, has moved us to tears more often than not. We could not have asked for a better family to be a part of for the last seven years.
In a day or two once we’re done with the exhaustion of packing and moving, we will begin to look forward, knowing that God has great things in store for us in the future. But for now, we’re looking back, grateful and amazed at God’s provision. These have been the best yet the hardest years of our lives and we leave humbled by His grace.
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