Bittersweet

Definition of BITTERSWEET

1: being at once bitter and sweet; especially : pleasant but including or marked by elements of suffering or regret.

As our last few days on Hawaii are dwindling I've use the word bittersweet in my thoughts a lot lately. The very sweet part of this move is the month of leave spent at home. I look forward to seeing lots of family and friends - to catch up in person with those whom I love. The bitter part is more obvious: leaving a place that has been home for the last three years. Now while I am sad to leave this place with all the beauty that God made (at least one more drive on H-3!), the water, plant life, and funny creatures won't be what I miss most. It will be the people. This is our first move from a place that wasn't home. I may never see the people here again this side of glory.

There is something about being far away from immediate family that makes you seek out others to be family. The phrase “church family” means so much more than before. These are the people who brought meals when my children were born, babysat for all kinds of reasons, helped me seek after good through Bible studies, play games and talked longer than we meant to, and generally loved and cared for my family. I am sad to leave them.

I give God all praise for the people He has brought into my life to help me grow. I praise Him for the many blessings I have experienced while here in Hawaii. I praise Him for his wisdom in our move, for His plan for our house and our stuff that is in transit. I praise Him because He knows who will help me grow, who my husband will work with, who our kids' friends will be, and what church we will attend. I praise Him even though I'm currently sad and I remind myself that His plan is better than any thing I think I want.