Saying Good-Bye...

Our good friends from Seattle will be heading back home today after a wonderful visit over the past six days. In just a matter of a couple of hours we will say, "Good-Bye."

I have no doubt that we will see each other again soon, someday... or will we?

My iWitness...

Memories are made...
Photos are snapped...
Life, up close and personal is lived...
Laughter and tears are shared...
Hugs and kisses are offered...
Prayers are lifted up...

And then it's time to say "good-bye."

With today's technology with Skype, FaceTime, texting, emailing and yes... even calling by phone or writing by letter, we have a plethora of ways to "stay in touch" with those we know and love.

But what happens when it is time to say, "Good-Bye" for the rest of our lives?

Jesus did it so gracefully and humbly and quickly...
In fact, Jesus never said "good bye."

He gathered his friends after 40 days of living with them after his resurrection, gave them some commands, words of encouragement and then he was lifted up... into the heavens...

I wonder if the disciples ever thought to themselves, "We never had a chance to say good-bye."

I wonder if they ever lacked a sense of "closure."

Did the disciples "grieve?"

I have been around the block enough times to know that there are people in our lives that we sometimes don't have a chance to say good-bye. One minute they are in our world and in our lives and the next minute we receive a call that they are gone.

We grieve, we lack closure and we lament the fact that we never had a chance to say, "Good-bye."

If we had the chance to say, "Good-bye" what would we say?
What words of love, care and gratitude would we whisper to those close to us?

Maybe today is the day to share those thoughts and feelings with those we love...
before they leave...
before they're gone...
before it's too late for "good-byes"...

And that's my iWitness...
Laugh often and fear not!
David!

"So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷ He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” ⁹ And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. ¹⁰ And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, ¹¹ and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” (Acts 1. 6-11)