Mothers Day 07, Pet Springs
Good-bye just doesn't say it all. It's been a hard week to accept the finality of those simple two words. Our dear family friends, Rod and Jill, just left town this morning. Pictured at right are Ben and Maddie (3rd in birth order to both respective families). Maybe it was the fact we lived a few blocks away from each other, were led to the same church family, both had a heartbeat for missions abroad and in our neighborhoods, had four children (surprise, surprise!!) of almost identical ages, or "maybe" it was the amazing God we serve who definitely brought us together to walk this leg of our life journeys in very close relationship with each other. We've been blessed to live out our daily lives together with all of you. You'll be missed more than words can possibly say but there are so many more memories to be made....The following is an excerpt from Dennis Kinlaw's devotional This Day With the Master that had ministered to me in thinking of this move.
I Like You - Exodus 25:1-9 & John 15:14-16
God loves the world and His people and wants to be in our midst. He wants to be one among us. He likes us. It stirs my heart much more to think that He likes me than to think that He loves me. We have used the term love in such a way that we think that God is obligated; He is love, so He has to love everyone. But do you know that He likes you? He may not like what you do, but He is drawn to you.
There is a vast difference between the relationships you have with people you love because you are supposed to love them, and those you have with people you like. I notice that the people I like are the ones to whom I want to get close, with whom I love to spend time. I tend to migrate in their direction for fellowship and communion. I want to get into my life some of the richness that is in theirs, so I seek them out to enjoy the relationship.That is the kind of God we read about in Scripture. He likes proximity to us and want to get close. That is why in the book of Joshua we find God attempting to procure land for himself. He wants a little real estate that belongs to Him. He owns the whole world, but the world has repudiated Him. He longs for a bit of earth where the people look up and say, "We belong to Him. We like Him. He made us. He
sustains us. We are His, and He is ours, and we like the relationship."If you like a person, you will let that person invade your space. Do you like God? Is your home or your office a place that belongs to Him? If He free to rearrange your schedule and your plans? Is everything in your home accessible to Him? He is longing for us to look up at Him and say, "We like You! We belong to You. We like belonging to You, and this bit of the world in which we live is Yours, and we are glad."
Jenny: I praise you God for rearranging our lives--for shaking up our "safe places." No more questioning your timing. I clearly see Your fingerprints all over this friendship and throughout this move. "Jesus, Lord over all...be the Lord over me"...over my friendships....over our kid's friendships...over our families...our communities...our schools....our everything.
14 comments:
Jenny,
Wow that devotional from Dennis Kinslaw says a lot about vulnerability with ones friends and our God. I'm not to good at that. Thanks for the challenge. He is so right when you truly like someone, not just love them, you want them to invade all the spaces of your life and learn as much as you can from them. Essentially you have an inner hunger to know and be known and in so doing challenge the other friend to growth in new and unforeseen ways. True be told though allowing the vulnerability to get to this level of growth is very, very difficult.
I know you are already missing Jill as I know Maddie, Cole, and Siah will be missing Benny, Zack, and Nate soon too when the every present playdate is much more logistically complicated to accomplish. Praying you guys were able to work out a camping date for June and praying God will bring new and different friends into your live to fill up the empty spaces.
Love Ya,
Bethie
I'm going to print this one out!!...soo good! Humbling thought to think God is drawn to US! And to allow him access in EVERY area..a daily cahllenge. We are so rich when we do make such connections in life..i know you will miss this family..but i think you're quite good at keeping in touch:)Love Ya'll!
Another thought...how different this concept is from the earthly facade of "i like you, you like me" with no real depth...just fluff. I think the "liking" is really only "Real" by the transparency of being more and more open in every area..being able to share the tough stuff and trust that the other will understand. That's pretty special, and the model was there all along in how God "likes" us.
(and yes I see that I misspelled challenge..I am a challenged typist!)
I know what you mean, when Paul, Jen and their four kids moved away we felt a big hole in our lives - not only were they family but they were our best friends...and we didn't just love hanging around but all our kids played together too! When you find an entire family that you all 100% click with it's very hard for one to move away and have to settle for once in a while visits, but those times are very precious - we are enjoying them visiting us right now. I hope God brings another family to help fill the void.
Sorry that y'all's dear friends moved away. I know a little of those LONG-DISTANCE goodbyes, and they are not easy.
I hope that you have a great day in Jesus.
Love, Heather =)
Dear Jen,
I feel the pain in your words because of our impending move from Louisville. The devotional was an inspiring way to view the changes in our lives. I agree with your sister and will pray that God brings another special family along...not a replacement...just a closer addition to the friendship fabric you already have.
Much love,
Amy
We felt the same way when Lincoln and Lyn left to go to Virginia. What a hole it left. Great devotional!
So glad to find your blog, Jenny and the pictures are great! Even more wishing we can make that trek to WI to see all of you face to face.
Love your book list. We've read some of "Well-Trained Mind". Some great stuff. Hello to Tom and love to allof you from Jane and me.
Randy
Jen,
I got a truely special message from Beth. I tries to respond via yahoo but it sadi that she is not set up to accept messages. How can I contact her with a response? Message me, please or I may try her blog. Thanks!
Amy
Jenny--love your blog, love your pictures--awesome! Would you ask Tom if he has any ideas on the question that I posed most recently on my own blog?? :)
It is hard to lose friends, especially when it seems that life is so filled with transition. We lost good friends recently ourselves--though they didn't have kids they loved ours, and it was such joy to be with them.
May God draw each of you very close to himself as he leads you through this difficult part of your journey.
We just got our computer up and running. I have to tell you that I cried through the entire post. I never took your wonderful friendship for granted...but as I sit here in a new town missing you like crazy...I realize what an amazing gift you are! I'm so glad God caused our paths to cross. I know we'll have a lifelong friendship. We're looking forward to seeing you soon. Benny is talking constantly about "his girl" Maddie. Please convey this message to her: Ben loves Maddie lots and lots and lots. (or yots and yots and yots.)
Also, I'll post a public thank you to you for all of your incredible help during our last few weeks there. Thanks to Tom too, for all the heavy lifting and support! To the very end of our time there, Jenny, you were teaching me about having the heart of a servant!
love you and miss you all! Hi to the whole family.
jill
jill!!!!!!!!
Can't wait to see the pictures of those newly painted rooms WHEN you post them on your new blog....
Jenny,
I cried my way through as I read this post, as I too will be leaving you. I will miss you so much. This is so hard! I love our talks and I love to watch you with your kids. You are so loving and patient and have been such a great example for me. Most of all your love for the Lord is evident in all you do.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP!
Oh, by the way, you ARE journaling by having this blog. You are light years ahead of where I was when I had my fourth baby.
Love you!
Kim
Thank you, Jenny, for that devotional and this tribute to your friends.
As David and I look and move around and see more and more of the body of Christ, we are convinced that we may never find a group or church with which we completely see eye to eye on all of life's issues (theological and otherwise). Those who seek that end up trying to build their own church.
But we are learning to cherish and seek out the friendship of kindred families from many places. Those who see life as we do, have a passion for family, share goals and perspectives and moral values and enjoy the humor and the moments of life. These are wonderful little pockets of likemindedness.
These family connections are becoming priceless to us...and give us a solid relationships that allow us to be content and grounded wherever we are placed - because we have no desire to find the perfect church.
We find fulfillment in sharing with those whose perspective of life and God and family seem to be from the same wavelink - the same heart.
I don't think I've ever tried to write all of that out, and didn't express it as I'd like. But it sounds like you've found that kind of friendship in this family - what a treasure!
Post a Comment