Catching Up To Be Ready To Go!

The last few days have flown by. Kristi and I went to Antigua on Friday night to make her flight easier on Saturday.  After she jumped out the the truck, I drove around the circle and parked in the arrival area.  I met Kemmel and Victor as we waited for the Eastside Church of Christ to arrive. Everyone arrived, got their luggage and then we made our way to Chichi.

It is nice to see several people that I know from previous trips.  Eastside is the sponsoring congregation of Kemmel and Lisa Dunham.  They have always been very supportive of our work and visit every two years.  They always include me and I am very thankful for them.

This morning, I went to Quiche for worship and the message was wonderful and very timely.  He started about how he lost his father a few years ago and the pain he went through when this happened.  No matter where we are in life or in the world, we suffer trials and tough situations. There are physical struggles and also emotional struggles.

Day-to-day life can be a challenge. There are so many things that we do not have control over.  The longer that we live in this world, the more vulnerable to hurt we are.  People come and go.  Pieces of our heart may be in a different city, state or country. If you have lost someone that you love, part of your heart was taken when that person died.

When I was at Michigan Christian College, we used a book, Where God is No Fool.  It was full of great writings but the one that we used the most was Bits and Pieces, written by Dr. Lois Cheney in 1969.

People important to you, people unimportant to you, cross your life, touch it with love and carelessness, and move on. There are people that leave you, and you breathe a sigh of relief, and you wonder why you ever came in contact with them. There are people who leave, and you breathe a sigh of remorse, and wonder why they had to go and leave such a gaping hole.
Children leave parents, friends leave friends, acquaintances move on. You think on the many who have moved into your life with hazy memory. You look on those present and wonder.
I believe in God’s master plan for our lives.
People move in and out of each other’s lives, and each leaves his mark on the other. You find you are made up of bits and pieces of all who have touched your life, and you are more because of it, and you would be less if they had not touched you.
Pray to God that you can accept the bits and pieces in humility and wonder, and never question, and never regret.

We must believe that God is in control and will remain steadfast in His promises.  According to John 14, there is a place being prepared for us.  If we are faithful, it will be our home for eternity.  There will be no more pain, no more sadness, no more holes in your heart. Nothing is more important that than our soul.  The minister ended with the question, "How is your spiritual life?"