Hello's/ Goodbyes and Glorifying God

I have to say that out of the three weeks at SPLICE, the last week is possibly the most intense! The sessions were really good but they also very emotional. If you know me there is one thing that I really really dislike and that is saying goodbye to people. I think maybe this is because when growing up we moved so much that when ever I had made friends I would have to turn around and say goodbye again. So I had a feeling that our session on goodbyes would be really hard and emotional.

Just like with many other things in myself I have insulated myself when saying goodbye, becuase I didn't want to feel that emotion and that hurt of having to say goodbye.Robin then asked us to write down and invited us to share with the group the names of the people who we still had to say goodbye to and that we were struggling with the fact that we had to say goodbye. I have to admit that as I started writing I just started crying, because I guess that I really didn't realize how much it's going to hurt and how hard its going to be to say goodbye. I didn't even realize that I have to tell my nieces and nephews that I am leaving. Saying goodbye is really really hard but I am comforted again and agian by something that Robin said while we were at SPLICE and if I had to pick one thing out of all the things that Robin said while we where at SPLICE that resonated with me the most it would have to be when he said one of the first days:

"that when you say goodbye I hope it hurts because then you know that you've loved and have been loved".

Glorifying God!!!

That afternoon, we gathered around in a circle and there was a pile of rocks in the middle of the room laying on top of sheets that had our joys and thanks that we had written down from the 3wks we had been at SPLICE.
We all were then told to pick up a rock and write on that rock what God has taught us while we have been at SPLICE. We then got up one by one to share in the middle about what God has taught us and to give him all the Glory for what He has done! I wrote many things on mine including: community, Sabbath, and yay/yuck ducks! I still can put into words what God in my heart while I was a SPLICE. I came to SPLICE thinking I was all good to go and such, but during three short weeks God did heart surgery on me and changed me and for that I am so very thankful!It was great to see person after person get up and share about what God has done and how he has been continually faithfull!!