beauty in despair

I realize that "despair" may seem extreme.

But some endings are just that.
Extreme.
Despairing.
Grievous.



Untimely.
Unavoidable.
Sad.

So it is as Beth and Karla fly home tomorrow.

Time has gone too quickly.



Friendships and conversations and relationships fall into one of the greatest gifts of life. Saying that doesn't mean they're easy.
In fact, we've had some hard and long conversations this past week.
But they're rich.



To quote one of my wee friends on this journey, they "shape us into better people."
Isn't that what we're called to do?



Our friend Paul once wrote,
"Don't give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing.
Rather, spur one another on toward love and good deeds."

The truth is, to say goodbye requires that at some moment we said hello. We interacted with each other's lives.
And those interactions were so good that we don't want to give them up.

Of course, these goodbyes do not mean we won't see one another again.



We're not sure when or how or where.

Regardless, we celebrate the overlap of lives and experiences. And we thank God for the gift of community.

We are better followers of Christ because of it!

Pictures:
#1 walking along the streets of Perth, Scotland
#2 River Tay
#3 Giant's Causeway Northern Ireland
#4 The five at Debbie's house in Scotland
#5 A "highland coo" outside Dunkeld, Scotland
#6 Beth, Karla and wee Beth