Saying Goodbye

After five amazing years, we are leaving Atlas. And leaving anywhere, for me, has never been easy. It's painful. For the past five years, those have been our kids. For the past five years, we have loved them quite literally as our own. We've laughed at them until things snorted out of our noses and we've cried when their moron boyfriends broke their hearts and we've... well, they've just been the center of our world. So how do you say goodbye to that?

On the other hand, it's always been strange to me how "goodbyes" can sometimes actually cement a relationship. Tonight, sitting at El Charrito with our Atlas kids "for the last time", I was reminded of that. Suddenly every moment became precious. Suddenly we were all taking the time to say "I love you", and hug, and plan more time to be together. I was reminded that God has piled blessing upon blessing on me by allowing me to live five years of my life with those kids. I would not trade one single moment. They have changed me for the better, and because of them, I will never be the same again.

A couple of days ago, a kid (who is now an adult) from our very first youth ministry job passed a sign that reminded him of us, so he called up. He's home from college and wants to get together. And it hit me that our family is SO BIG. And getting bigger. When we begin our new work at Killen on Sunday, it will grow even more. It's just overwhelming. We are pressed-down, shaken-together, pouring-over kind of blessed. I can't wait to have my whole enormous family together one day when we all finally make it home.

The life of a youth ministry family is crazy. It's unpredictable and emotional and frustrating and heartwrenching and stressful and wild. And you have to stay out really late at night. It's not for everyone. But it is for us, and I am so very thankful that it is.