It's the End..... or the Beginning!

When I was a little girl, my Grandma Purcell would make red velvet cake at Christmas time.  My Aunt Martha makes the red velvet cake now at the Purcell Christmas gathering.  Red velvet cake, like my grandma used to make, is my favorite and I'm so glad I was able to enjoy a piece over the weekend with my family, it's been eight years.

This red velvet cake made me think because life is funny in that it keeps moving on.  The family has been enjoying red velvet cake over the past eight years, even when I'm not there.  Life doesn't stop when someone passes away, it doesn't stop when the seasons change, and it doesn't stop when someone moves away.  Life keeps moving and there is both sadness and beauty in that.

We have had an incredible nine months in America.  The kids have handled all the transitions so well and I am proud of the way they have adjusted to all the new things that living in America brings, they have made friends in school.  My clinical time was better than I ever imagined and making graduation was a goal achieved.  Hap had the opportunity to be with numerous fellowships and meetings that both encourage him and the people that he was meeting with.  

These nine months will be treasured and could never be recreated.

But life moves on.

And while we feel sadness about leaving, and there will be tears and feelings of missing out on significant events in the lives of those we love back here, we also find great beauty in knowing that the "the God who called is faithful" and he doesn't leave us in our sadness but gives us hope, peace, and fullness of joy as we walk the path He has called us to walk for this time in our lives.

We load the plane with full hearts and with thanksgiving that life is made to be lived and enjoyed as it marches on until we are called to our eternal home with Jesus or until he returns.

xoxo