saying goodbye

Our dear friends moved back to the mainland a couple of weeks ago. We spent many a holiday festivities, kids birthday parties, tsunami evacuations and so much more together. So before they headed to the airport we had one more dinner together at our place.

The hard part about living in Hawaii is how transient it is...we're always meeting new friends and saying goodbye to old ones. But I feel blessed to have known so many amazing families since we've been here. I know we've grown as a family both spiritually and relationally because of who God has put in our lives. I hope to see some of these great friends again but I know if we don't that these families are somewhere else showing others Christ in their friendships and service to others. I'm thankful that God gave us the church, which not only brings biblical teaching, calls us to repentance, worship and selfless service to our Lord, but it also provides instant community because of our connection in Christ. I'm thankful for people that take the time to be involved in others lives and that truly get the idea of community/family that God designed it to be.