Saying Goodbyes to Friends Held Dear

I don't know how to make the title to this post sound more appealing.

Saying goodbye to dear friends is not an exciting thing to do.

But we all have to do it at times.

We've had to say goodbye to friends and relatives moving away, 

 three or four times in the last several months.

The Albertsons haven't lived near enough to get together very often, 

but when we did, it seemed they always quietly contributed something to our lives.  

They were a big family, they home-schooled, they trained their children from babyhood to obey and do what is right, they taught their children to work,

they had good relationships with so many people around them,

and they were willing to serve in difficult and lonely places, and just be faithful.

 When new Pastor of the Denver GMC Church, Christian Walker, presented the Albertsons with this token of appreciation Sunday morning, I was so glad he had been so thoughtful.

Usually it is the pastor who gets the goodbyes and eulogies and special tokens.

This time, a new pastor thinks to thank a faithful parishioner! 

I really appreciated Christian Walker's thoughtful act.

The Albertsons have been more than parishioners--they have been servants who led by serving in self-sacrificing and humble but needed ways.  

They have helped to bring in children and others from the community before service.

 Rowen has led the hymn singing.

Their children sit with the community children and help keep order.

Elizabeth and Emily would take turns leading children's choruses while their mom played the piano.

Sometimes Elizabeth would play the piano. 

Different ones would usually have a testimony or word of praise. 

Last time we were there, their third oldest son Jason (home from Bible College for the summer) preached with confidence a sound Bible message that said a lot in 15 or 20 minutes, and left me feeling fed. 

He didn't say he couldn't preach just because the congregation was embarrassingly small that Sunday--just us two families--not big enough for his ego.

I am still meditating on the truth he shared from the verses about singing in our hearts, submitting to and loving one another, and being filled with the Spirit. 

 We've always been blessed when we go to Federal Heights,

just watching the entire Albertson family participate in the services in some way.

To be honest, whenever we've gotten together with this family,

we haven't had much time to just talk together (until recently) because we were all so busy with whatever was going on--

and usually it was something relational with other people. 

 Either the Albertsons were out busy bringing people to church or taking them back,

helping with community children or holding babies,

or celebrating special events to which many friends from every walk of life were invited

and treated equally.

So it is with much regret that we ate a final picnic with them today and said goodbye.

We said goodbye to a family who led by a quiet but faithful example. 

A family who had to leave a hurtful situation some years back because of how it was affecting their family,

but who did not permit bitterness to fester,

and who turned their aloneness into lowly service in a tiny, difficult situation of a church.

We have watched how God blessed this consecration and dedication.

All six of their children are serving the Lord.

It is a joy to have found this family we can majorly look up to.

Just today, the mom made a single comment at the picnic table that, unknown to her, 

 I felt gave me direction

about how to deal with something I've been distressed about. 

It's no wonder one of my daughters was in tears as we all hugged around, saying goodbye.

Thank You Lord, for these precious friends. 

Keep us all in your care, and may our Lucas family in some small way

follow in this family's steps.