As Anthony and I have moved and traveled around the world, I have always found leaving one place and heading to another quite easy. I don’t really get very attached to places–but I DO get attached to people. Leaving people behind is always hard for me. We have absolutely been blessed–the Lord has sent such precious people across our path. It is always so hard to leave them behind when He has moved us on.
Leaving Colorado was tough. Saying goodbye to people we love just about ripped my heart out. We miss them already. I cannot wait for heaven when we will never have to say goodbye ever again. How glorious that will be. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Many of you who have been journeying with me for a while here on my blog know that my dear husband served the Lord as a hospice chaplain in Colorado. He loved his job–he adored his patients. His job was very hard at times. There were many weeks when he felt like he had said goodbye to too many dear friends. It’s impossible not to fall in love with patients when you pour so much of yourself into their lives. It’s a tough job, but also such an amazingly rewarding job.
The week we left Colorado we went to say goodbye to one dear lady we all love and treasure so much. Mary has become a part of our family. She lives in a facility and struggles daily with Parkinsons. My hubby couldn’t help but fall in love with her the day he met her. We all fell head over heels too. She is a priceless treasure, a beautiful gem on this earth.
Mary got to love on our newest blessings…oh such a joy.
Harper is always ready and willing to love on anyone who has arms to hold her.
Hailee got some sweet lovin’.
Cade gave Mary some goodbye squeezes.
Sweet Haven is just the most loving little girl. Being non-verbal, she may not be able to use words, but she sure does communicate in her loving ways. Who needs words anyway?
Priceless.
Goodbyes are never easy, are they? I hate saying goodbye. I look at these picture of some of my children loving on Mary and I am reminded of how blessed we are that God has sent such incredible people into our lives. Our lives are so much richer because of people like Mary. And then I’m reminded that people matter! Widows, orphans, lonely, sick, young, old….they all matter. Whether they’re in our lives for one day or ten years, we are so much better just for knowing them and allowing God to use them in our lives.
I pray that my children will always remember that people matter to God, so they should matter to us too. Things are just things–they break, get lost, we lose interest in them, they end up in a closet somewhere–but people are priceless gifts given to us by our loving father in heaven.
Thank you, Mary, for being a beautiful gift to the Salem family. We love you dearly.
