Sunday Reflections

I reflected so much I forgot to post... haha. Not really, just didn't have time yesterday to sit down and write. It was a busy day, and a teary one. I felt like everywhere we went yesterday, my eyes were misty. Church was first, it was great to be back and singing again, but I was painfully aware of our friends Alan and Casey's absence. They left a month ago, and had led the Magnificare group since before we arrived in Napoli; I miss them. The end of the service was saying good-bye to Jennifer and Tyson, another of our friends who are on their way to Bahrain. They had been our home church leaders and had been here for five years, which made their good-bye even harder. Both these couples have impacted Daniel's and my life here, in so many different ways, but above all they are solid Christian couples and have been great examples to us as we have tried to become a stronger Christian couple. I have a special place in my heart for Jennifer, who saved me from going completely crazy when I had Grace. She was the one who called and came by and was a voice of reason when I'm sure I was making no sense. There is something to be said for having other moms around who can physically be there for you when you're a new mom. I underestimated the challenges that came with having a child and living off base. I was a little more than misty eyed for that good-bye prayer.

The sermon spoke to me too; talking about faithfulness and finishing the race. Tim put up the video of Derek Redmond and his Olympic 400m race, during which he pulled his hamstring and his father jumped out onto the track and supported him all the way to the finish line. I've seen it a couple times and it always makes me teary; this time it had Creed's song, "With Arms Wide Open" as the background music. Needless to say there were waterworks.The last slide did me in, when it said, "God, thank you for my Father." I pretty much cried the whole service!

After church was our friend Raquel's baby shower, which was lovely! Again, misty eyed; Raquel and her husband had been trying for a baby for a couple years and things weren't going well, yet Raquel was nothing but positive, even as every other woman around her was pregnant or had children. They finally were able to get pregnant and are now expecting twin boys. I sat there looking at them yesterday as they opened presents, all smiles and excitement, and thought, "they have no idea just how wonderful it's going to be." I swear your whole ego changes when you have a kid. It's too funny sometimes! God is good!

As every military family knows, the leaving and being left gets familiar after a time, but it never gets easy. If anything it gets harder, but I believe that it is because the friendships are deeper, the fellowship is more meaningful, and, as our friend Joyce said so eloquently, "A little piece of your heart goes with them." We are blessed, and God is so good.

Buona giornata a tutti voi.