A Chapter Closed - Surprised By Emotion

I'm working on a few things online this morning for my volunteer gigs (Worship Arts & Women's Ministries) & checking/posting Facebook for them and for me. In my feed the following picture and post popped up, my heart sank & my eyes filled up...

"Now in transition... and it seemed an appropriate time to announce my Conscious Uncoupling from this beloved place. Further, an announcement of my (some will say) Unconscious Recoupling with the great state, and my heart's home... my planned return is in June... in the meantime, my bucket list is lengthy, and I'm looking forward to revisiting the best of the area over the next 60 days. After 15 years, there are many who will be missed and much to be remembered.


Another chapter has closed for our family... poignantly reminding me of a huge chapter that closed last year. The full story is not mine to share. But, the part I've played in this story has added greatly to my life. My heart is filled with sadness... my heart is filled with thanksgiving... all at the same time. There are no bitter feelings toward anyone in this past season. There's just thanksgiving for the good that was.

And where is the good in all of this? I am choosing today to celebrate the LOVE which fills my heart - the LOVE put there by God & given to others. Certain chapters in life bring joy & happiness. Other chapters bring reflection & an aching. In all the chapters of life, God is there... with just what we need.

Today, I celebrate the fact that God has made me a very "lovey" person. I truly fall in love with SO MANY PEOPLE. That's a God thing - 'cause I'm not that nice on my own! Loving someone & then seeing them leave hurts. But, the hurt affirms to me that love is what matters.

If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:1-4,8,13 NLT

Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today...