Saying Good-bye

Last Tuesday was the funeral for Uncle Ely. It was a very sad day for so many of us as we honored this man who has touched so many lives. He was faithful to his family and to his God and served his church as much as as he could. He prayed for all of us... he was Frendell's prayer partner and in many ways, Frendell's right hand in giving Bible studies and conducting the mid-week prayer meeting. Frendell is taking this loss quite hard. I can't imagine coming to church this Sabbath and not seeing Uncle Ely smiling at me, telling me he's been praying for me and my recovery.

Pat, Naleesa and Zach also left on Tuesday to fly home to Walla Walla. It was such a special treat to have them come over and spend a couple of days with us. Pat just finished conducting the Institute for returning missionaries, which was held at Andrews University last week. So they spent time with Jerma, Erbe and family there @ Andrews. It is always a treat for us to have Pat come and visit. She is our Ninang and has given us tremendous support and advice through the years. She was my mentor, since way back when I was a student missionary in Thailand. She gave me such a different perspective of God and life and my parents/family and allowed me to question my beliefs and theology. She helped me figure out what to do with Frendell, before Frendell and I even started dating, and then afterwards, when we became engaged. Pat has been our beacon of strength and hope when we wanted to quit the ministry and try something else. She has loved us from the beginning and has seen us through our best and through our worst. She has allowed us to learn from her experiences and has been transparent with the challenges and trials she's had to face. She has an unwavering faith in God and shared with us a God who is outside the box we grew up with.

During this visit, she listened, encouraged, gave me permission to grieve and heal on my own time, prayed for me, shared challenges her friends who face cancer have also experienced, listened some more, hugged me when I cried and tried to help me figure out how to start re-structuring my day again. Naleesa and Zach were a breath of fresh air. They have so much energy and are very well behaved tweens. They made me laugh and I wished so much that I could keep up with them :-) So when they left Tuesday, it was so quiet in the house again. And Frendell and I miss all of them. I think we had a hard time coming home from the the emotionally-charged day... Pat and the kids going home and then the funeral, so we got in the car and drove to Hinsdale and returned the screen to Jack. And we woke him and his family up and we stayed until midnight, talking and visiting and praying and just spending time with friends.

I never do well with good-byes, especially when I'm the one left behind. It always leaves this empty feeling in my heart and it hurts inside... It makes me long for heaven... and I look forward to the time when we don't have to be separated from our loved ones again...