Farewell

The heart tugs of motherhood can be horrific.  Last Sunday, after I traveled to the Roanoke airport to put our beloved Tampa family on a plane, I then rushed back over the mountain to pray with our greeter team at church. Grief jumped up and unexpectedly bit me.  As I began to pray for the category of church members traveling my voice choked up and I couldn't go on. Then the tears began to drip down my check as my heart ached to have to say good-bye to our children and grandchildren whom we love so dearly.

My husband and I were blessed to live in the same hometown in the same neighborhood as both sets of our parents.  Seeing them was a daily occurrence.  None of our seven children live in the same town as us.

As I drove away from that airport that morning the word farewell came to mind.  The dictionary defines it as "good wishes when parting".  To me it also breaks down as fare "perform in a specific way over a period of time" well "do your best with God's help" while we are apart.  

Numbers 6:24-26 is perfect for those parting times.

"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace."

"This God-his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him."  Psalm 18:30

Picture the farewell song from the "Sound of Music"...

There's a sad sort of clanging from the clock in the hall And the bells in the steeple too
And up in the nursery an absurd little bird Is popping out to say "cuckoo"
Cuckoo, cuckoo Regretfully they tell us Cuckoo, cuckoo 

But firmly they compel us Cuckoo, cuckoo

To say goodbye...Cuckoo! . . . to you
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, good night I hate to go and leave this pretty sight
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, adieu Adieu, adieu, to yieu and yieu and yieu
So long, farewell, au revoir, auf wiedersehen