Mixed Emotions

The last several days have been a whirlwind. I am so tired, but feeling very thankful for the Lord's faithful love in all things. Tomorrow, our family leaves for a two and a half week vacation. I am really excited to spend time with dear family and friends, and also take the girls to the beach to go camping. The last time we set foot on the beach was when Katie was 3 months old. She's heard many stories about out beach trips when my sister and I were little, so her anticipation is fun to watch. Ellie is excited, too, mostly for the marshmellows that are in the box to pack in the van. I can't get very excited about marshmellows, but it's a special occasion, right?

This past weekend we wrapped up our church youth group for the summer with an overnighter at the church. This was a pretty big event for our little church, and it was lots of fun. I was encouraged to see the kids having a good time, learning about relationships, and seeing parents show up at the BBQ we had to close out the event. In many ways, the weekend was bittersweet, as two of the couples we regularly serve with and who are some of our dearest friends will be moving on to go to seminary in Tacoma, WA this fall. One of these families is my sister, brother-in-law, and niece. I didn't really think about this event being the last we would all do together. It's pretty hard for the reality of them leaving to sink in. It is hard to imagine our little fellowship of believers without them there. Yet, I am reminded of the sovereignty of our Lord, and that He has His hand in all of this. Often, growth occurs in hard circumstances, and we can be thankful for this opportunity to get to know our Saviour even more. Through Him, we are strengthened and made capable to handle what seems impossible to our human eyes. Praise the Lord for His grace and abounding love.