A few weeks ago, Ron and I were in Washington, D.C., at the North American Division Year-end Meetings. For Ron, the days were filled with meetings–long meetings. For me, the trip provided a space of uninterrupted time to catch up on office stuff and do some continuing education. During lunches and in the evenings we had time to see friends and coworkers from our Sligo family. As we drove through the city we called home, a mixture of feelings rushed over us. There have been changes on the campus: the old music building that sat on the lot next to the church office has been torn down, and a new one stands in its place. It was sad to learn that there have been deaths in the church family; some friends we loved very much are no longer there. Walking into the church office and radio station–being greeted with surprised exclamations and hugs from people we love–was the best part of the trip. But even that was bittersweet. It was impossible to see all of our friends who live there, and as they found out that we had been there without a chance to visit, they were disappointed as we were. The distance has been hard on all of us…
Change. My head knows that nothing stays the same; not cities, not buildings, and not even people. But it still takes my heart time to absorb the things that are different. The changes in D.C. were especially noticeable; after all, to me they seemed to happen overnight. But it made me stop and think about the less-noticeable changes. I think about how much I have grown since we left D.C., almost 4 years ago. I think about how our family has grown and changed. Change happens daily, but it can be hard to notice without the perspective of time. I can look back over several years and see where I have come from, what I have been through, and where I am going. And the best part of this trip is that I get to see God’s hand in my everyday life.
Photo credit: sxc.hu, marganz
