living divided

today my daughter had to say goodbye to her best friend...

again

Kristy came out from Melbourne to visit, and was with us a couple of weeks. We have had other visitors as well. One of my closest friends Chris came out for Thanksgiving. Sharon, another of our closest friends is still here, but stayed a number of days with her two boys. The funny thing is, it feels so natural when they are here. They are our family.

Its part of doing life like we do. The family is extended to include others. You eat together, work together, pray together, cry and struggle together, and become family. But today we said goodbye to Kristy, she is going back home, and our family is broken up again. I had to watch my daughter and our "adopted" daughter cry, and cry. As I type this I cry a bit too.

Sometimes I think about saying goodbye to Chris and Mike at the airport a year ago, and I start crying again. Or Andy talking at our goodbye party. Or sitting talking to Dan, or Anthony, or Phil. Playing cricket with Marcus, and Chris. Talking theology with Mark. Playing in the back yard with the stevens family. All the gang at dominance. The Cave, the most amazing ministry thing we have ever been a part of. We are living divided. Half of us is in Melbourne and half here in Long Beach.

It is really hard, but I know it was right.

rev