Our Collection of Rituals for Saying Goodbye

Do they know?

Larry and I stood fixed in our spot on the sidewalk to wave goodbye until the red car lights rounded the corner and vanished out of sight. Clad in my fleece robe, clutching a warm mug of coffee, I asked myself, “Do they know?”

Do they know that part of my heart is packed away in their multiple pieces of luggage?

Do they know how empty the rooms feel now that the glorious chaos is gone?

Do they know how much we will miss them between now and the time we are together again?

And,

Do they know how very much we love them?

Do they know?

For many of us, the upcoming weeks—our holiday season—promise to surge with energy and explode with activity. There will be extra loads of laundry, more dirty dishes, extended late-night conversations, multiple trips to the grocery, and there will inevitably be the unavoidable goodbyes. Ouch.

Living geographically separated from family for decades has given us the opportunity to create a Collection of Rituals that cushion the leave-taking. Five are listed below.

1. Twenty-four hours before a parting, we acknowledge that we are on a conveyor belt, physically and emotionally, and we intentionally streamline life. The focus of the household becomes packing and parting.

2. On the morning of departure, regardless of the hour, we are up with our loved ones to offer practical help in getting out the door. (Even if it is 2:30 am.)

3. When the clock refuses to grant any more grace minutes, everybody circles for one last hug. And—here is a huge component—we pause to declare a blessing over those leaving. Our favorites remain Numbers 6:24-26 and 2 Corinthians 13:14.

4. Then, as little bodies get buckled into car seats, we state: “See you in a minute.” As absurd as this may sound, somehow it adds a balm, even if we don’t yet know when our next visit will occur.

5. Finally, when the vehicle backs out of the garage, Larry and I scurry to take up our positions on the front sidewalk to wave goodbye as they pull out of sight. We want their last glance to be our smiling faces and warm waves.

Whew. Washed over with fatigue, he and I walk back inside, grab an Afghan, curl up by the fire, and thank God for His loving care over the precious cargo. Our rituals did their part in facilitating the farewell; now we look to God to do His part in restoring our lives to normal.

Living With Eternal Intentionality®

“He has also set eternity in the human heart” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

“The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face to shine on you, and be gracious to you; The LORD lift His countenance upon you, and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26).

“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14).

What plans do you have for out-of-town guests over the holidays?

Are there certain rituals you have developed for family partings?

How could a scriptural blessing be an asset in your saying goodbye?

What Does It Take to Keep Thankful in Thanksgiving?

Burned biscuits, broken ovens, late arrivals, crowded seating, fussy children, and the “I-might-have-Covid” guest all hold sway over the atmosphere and outcome of your best attempts for a meaningful Thanksgiving. Some may go so far as to say that hosting the gathering is not for the faint of heart.

“But the making of memories is too important to just roll over and order take-out. ”

— Living With Eternal Intentionality®

But the making of memories is too important to just roll over and order take-out.

So, if 2022 is your turn to host the feast and you long for the fellowship to be sweet, may God use these suggestions to equip you in keeping thankful in Thanksgiving.

1. Invite the Holy Spirit to be your Event Coordinator

2. Set the table a day ahead

3. Thursday morning, get up earlier than you deem necessary

4. Don’t skip spending time alone with God

5. Hold your plan with an open hand—be nimble and flexible (not fixed and stiff-necked)

6. Trim your sail to bless, not impress

7. Be content with less is enough mentality

8. Let the words of Philippians 2:4 energize your attitude: “Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others.”

9. Interject thanksgiving into every one of your Thanksgiving concerns and challenges

“In everything give thanks, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Living with Eternal Intentionality®

“He has also set eternity in the heart of man” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

10. This is your opportunity to contribute. Please tell us, from your experience, What Does It Take to Keep Thankful in Thanksgiving?

Bringing God Into the Every

Do you ever hesitate when God gives you an opportunity to step up and bring Him glory? Well, I do. Recently, when asked to give a devotional to a group of women, I paused. These individuals keep close dealings with God, and honestly, I felt inadequate. But then it occurred to me that I was overthinking the obvious: God wanted this, and I needed to obey.

““Invite them into the journey where am I calling you to grow.” ”

Once my hesitancy evaporated, I launched headlong into an ongoing conversation with God to discover what He wanted me to contribute. “Invite them into the journey where am I calling you to grow,” seemed to be His Answer.

Now, along with my other esteemed friends, I invite you to join me on my journey with EVERY.

Bringing God Into the Every

In the broad swath of these Scriptures, one sees that Every is electric in God’s Vocabulary.

1.     “It is written: ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me: every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will acknowledge God’” (Romans 14:11 NIV).

2.     “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3 NIV).

3.     “Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4 NIV).

4.     “Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him” (Proverbs 30:5 NIV).

5.     “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NASB).

6.     “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV).

 7.     “Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so” (Genesis 1:29,30 NIV).

8.     “Every day I will praise you and extol your name forever and ever” (Psalm 145:2 NIV).

9.     “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17 NIV).

10.  “For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:9-10).

Bringing God into the EVERY of Everyday Life

My desire is for God to enlarge the area inside of me where my response to life happens—to push out the boundaries of this decision-making real estate so that I consistently experience all the resources He has made available to me. I want The God who loves me, The Jesus who died for me, and The Holy Spirit who fills me to dominate that space and make the most amazing supernatural difference.

Can trust and pain co-exist? Yes. But I want TRUST to reign. While feelings and emotions readily accompany daily life, I want God to enlarge that terrain of trust, and eclipse all else, meaning, rule over: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts . . .” (Colossians 3:15).

After all, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness . . .” (2 Peter 1:3).

Lord, I want to bring You into Every:

Every day

Every friendship

Every hardship

Every relationship

Every encounter

Every dream

Every desire

Every dilemma

Every delight

Every decision

Every pain

Every plan

Every pleasure

Every problem

Every criticism

Every crisis

Every conversation

Every heartache

Every heartbreak

Every text message

Every email

Every meal I share with another

Every trial my child goes through

Every piece of bad news

Every award

Every achievement

Every sleepless night

Every sunrise

Every suggestion

Every season

Every insult

Every miscommunication

Every misunderstanding

Every diagnosis

Every challenge my grandchildren face

Every trauma that treads across my soul

Every meeting

Every purchase

Every commitment

Every opportunity to forgive

Every chance to offer kindness

Every inclination to be rude

Every propensity to stew

Every temptation to hold a grudge

Every disappointing change of plans

Every miracle, every blessing, every grace-filled opportunity

Every, every, every—God, I want to give You Your rightful place in EVERY

And bringing You into EVERY motivates me to pray:

“Lord, I want to bring You into Every that I may trust You in ANY.”

Living With Eternal Intentionality® “He has also set eternity in their hearts” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

In a meeting, my new friend shared this quote from the life of Amy Carmichael: “In every least thing you will be wonderfully led.”

What thoughts do you have about the significance of EVERY?

Please offer any additional verses to the above list.

If you gave God permission to enlarge your boundaries of trust in every situation, how would your life be different?

Your thoughts enrich the discussion. Please offer your comments.