Changes

These next few weeks are going to have a lot of changes. First off, on Saturday, the Swem family is returning to China. Having them home this summer has been a huge blessing. While Vera may for some reason have a propensity to spit up on me more than anyone else, I can say that having them home these past few months has really made my summer. I love spending time with them, especially Wendy Jane and Vera, and being around such a Godly marriage on a daily basis. The next change is that Lynn is moving to Charlotte on August 24th. She is moving to a townhouse with Katie Jo in the Dilwurth area of Charlotte. While I am not excited about living 13 hours away from Lynn, there is a redeeming quality about Charlotte, namely that there is a good airport with reasonably priced flights to Boston. This leads me to the next change in my life, that being that I am moving to South Hamilton, MA on September 1 to begin my MA in Theology at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. I only know a few people up there at the moment; however, I am excited that my long-time friend Jill Barlow is incredibly in three classes with me, and will be beginning the program at the same time. In light of these major changes occurring, I woke up the other night and the first thing my mind drifted towards was Jenny and Alex leaving on Saturday, and as it almost always has in the past, family leaving nearly brought me to tears. And, I know that tears will probably be shed on September 4th on move-in-day in a few weeks as well. So, as I approach these next few weeks of changes, I am reminded of something Alex told my mom about leaving others when he used to have to say goodbye to Jenny at the airport when they were engaged, and that is that God never intended us to have to say good-bye. God has set eternity in our hearts, it is part of who we are. So no wonder we feel such pain when we have to leave loved ones for a time. Yet, we can hope in Christ, not only that he does bring loved ones back together, but more assuredly, that he has conquered death, sin, and separation through the cross and restored man's opportunity to enjoy eternity with Him and those we love forever.