Lumberjacks and other miscellaneous things

I am sitting here taking a break from making canvas wall boards for my small group students at church because we are done with youth group for the summer. Three of them are leaving to go to college. I am so happy for them and yet I find myself getting more and more sad as the days dwindle down to our last time together. It reminds me of when I was in high school. And parents always said, "You still have the summer. You can stay in touch." But somehow that just never has sufficed nor placated any teenager and I am finding that it is not really cutting it for me either. I will miss my girls dearly. They have taken up a huge place in my heart over this past year.
I have been dealing a lot lately with being saddened over friendships that are no longer as close because we are so far away. I do not want this to happen with my small group girls, but it seems it is inevitable. Talking on the phone is just not the same. And I am not rich so I cannot just get up and fly off somewhere with an expensive plane ticket. Tears have most definitely fallen over this realization and have in the past as well with other friends. As I go back through old photos of days gone by, memories flood in and the tears come freely as I dream of being back in that place doing that exact thing of which I am looking so longingly upon. This has especially been true recently looking over my Snow Ridge 2008 summer camp photos. I can feel the moments as if they happened yesterday. Somehow it is so surreal, because at times it seems like the things in the pictures never happened. I don't want this to happen with my girls. I pray the Lord would continue to keep all of us in each others' lives. But if that is not to happen, I have learned that He will bring me through it and bring me new community, new beginnings, and new friendships that will be just as meaningful as the ones of the past. I thank Him that no matter where I am or what I am doing, He will always provide for me, and as long as I am following Him, I know that I can place it all in His hands and He will bring out good from it.

Westcliffe, Colorado