Departure Withdrawl

Picture this...

You go out of town for a week or two - pretty far away. You go with some friends you don't know that well... yet. You get close, closer than family. Not only close with your friends, but with the new people you met and saw in and out for the whole time - people you had long conversations with, people you REALLY connected with.

...but then you leave.

You know you'll see then again, but not for another year. It literally pains you to leave - your head drops, and your heart sinks in a huge sink-hole of muck. Your face pounds from the tears that have saturated it for the past hour or so. What can you do from there but merely think about them at all times of the day and hope to have some e-mail contact? You start to think that this is merely some sort of withdrawal, but deep down, you know it's really more than that - these are real people you're dealing with here!

You had promised people you would e-mail them as soon as you got back. You have their e-mail, and they have yours. You're a few days late because you had to leave town as soon as you got home - without your luggage because your flight was canceled and had to drive cross country. You talk to some at first. But then... time goes one. Life goes on. For you and for them. Quite honestly, you know there is nothing you can do about it. They are gone forever. For now. You may see them or speak with them once a year... maybe. But mostly they just fill your memories, and only your memories.

What anomaly is this? I fear being forgotten, yet even I forget. I fight it, but it is not something to be fought. Not really. It is natural, though you feel it should not be. There is no other choice. Still, all that truly matters is this: God does not forget. There is no leaving with Him, in either direction. Yeah, that can be kind of intimidating, but isn't it what we really long for deep down anyways? A deep relationship that is consistent, ever-true, and always there? I know it's something I want...

"Butt Abrasions"

Have you ever been at the beach only to be completely knocked over by the waves? Maybe it frustrated you a little bit?

Well my parents, grandmother, and I just recently got back from being at the beach. My dad is not one that likes beaches very much - he'd much rather find a good book, spread out in a chair somewhere, and get completely absorbed in it. (Which he did of course - read two books with extra down time in less than two days!) My grandmother has never even had a vacation before - so this was a first. (My grandfather always just goes to visit one of his cousins and that's about it... my grandmother always gets dragged along and stressed out). We took my grandparents motor home down to the state park and completely vegged out - reading, crocheting, going to the beach and the store - the works!

The morning before we left, my dad and grandmother went to return the rental car. My mom and I went to the beach! We had been there the night before just to wade in, but we found when we got there in the morning that they had actually set out chairs and umbrellas and everything! We found a spot and claimed it as our own.

Remember, my mom is reliant on a crutch because of an injured knee, the result of a "shower attack". I was her support as we walked cautiously into the water. The water was only about half way up our calves - not even at our knees.... HOWEVER!!! As soon as the waves started to roll, there went my mom's balance. She started to topple backwards. Me, trying to hold onto her arm in hopes that I could hold her up in this torment, come right down with her. Now we are officially stuck in the sand, water washing over us, causing us to roll all over the place. Not to mention laughing our faces off!

I kept trying to sit with my backs to the waves, only to have the current twist me completely around the other direction every time. It even rolled me in circles like a barrel down a mountain road! By now, we were now digging sink holes in the sand with our butts - deemed by my mother as "butt abrasions", I pointed out that we would probably be digging out puddles of sand for the next week! We were probably down there for about 30 minutes when my mom decided she wanted to get up. I knew from the start - there was no way! This was going to be just like that shower attack. ...No hope. ...No luck. ...And no getting up anytime soon!

She 'brilliantly' decided, "Why don't I just scoot further out into the water... then I'll FLOAT up!!" I felt my eyes roll around in my head. "You've GOT to be kidding me!" Well, SOMEhow, she scooted out maybe another foot or so and she got up. We went further out, to where the waves were before they broke - it was a little safer out there (well, maybe not for me... I don't float).

Then, once more, a wave caught us off guard and I literally go flying through the waters! Head rushing, body spinning, I end up in the same place I started in the beginning. Of course, I start to go frantic, "Uh-oh, where's mom?" My wild imagination assumes she's now lost out at sea by now! I try looking around before I realize my eyes are still closed and hair is obstructing my face. As I struggle to stand up and get out of the water, I kick someone laughing like a hyena! ....my mother, go figure!

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Moral of the story:
We all find ourselves tossed around by these waves in our lives. We think nothing of them until BAM! There they are, and they hit us, knocking us off-guard and sending us plummeting to the ground. We sink in, maybe even get stubborn a little bit and refuse to get up. When we DO decide we should probably get ourselves out of the holes we get ourselves into, we find we cannot. Not even with help from those around us. There is no other option than to go further into the seas. Waves continue to knock you backward and throw you around, but you've got to keep pushing. Finally, eventually, a wave (the worst one yet) will come high enough to float you to the top and back onto your feet.

Just don't loose your guard - because even when you're back on your feet, when you're not paying attention, or even when you are, something will catch you and take you for the ride of your life. A ride you weren't ready for and didn't want to go on. All in all, the journey is fun - it is an adventure. Yes, it can be dangerous, but that's why God sends things like yet another wave along to help us and protect us. These things can be disguised, you know...