All the men in my life are gone

All the men in my life are gone.  That’s not really true at all, but the two I see regularly are leaving. 

Ryan's Facebook picture

Twice a week every week since I got here (except holidays and retreats) I’ve spent the day with Ryan McDonnell with the Boston Faith & Justice Network.  He’s a super tall, highly motivated, high achieving, organized composed, cheerful man.  He took me hiking in New Hampshire and picked my brain to understand how living simply is tied into faith.  I picked his brain about it too.  He taught me a lot on this, and he guided me in the ways of running the behind the scenes bookkeeping of a non-profit.  Ryan’s been one great example of a Christian and a man to look up to and work for.  His example of someone running a non-profit is remarkable.  And I’ve learned so much from him in just the seven months I’ve spent opposite him at the table in the kindergarten classroom in the basement of Hope Fellowship church.   He was there with empathy when Gus died. Unfortunately his close friend had a similar fate last year as well, so we bonded over that undesired grief something I wish neither of us could share honestly.  He reminded me "the light shines in the darkness and the darkness could not overcome it." Working with him was all anyone could ask for in a first job, but he recently took a job with World Relief, (http://worldrelief.org/Page.aspx?pid=2684).  It’s basically his dream job.  So he’s gone.  He’ll be showing donors who they are supporting overseas, and touching the lives of many here in the US, and abroad.  Very cool.

Rod's Facebook picture

Every Sunday, give or take a few when I went to the early service at Pillow Presbyterian, I’ve seen the face of another outstanding gentleman, Mr. Rev. Roderick MacDonald, the pastor of my church in Burlington.  He has the good-hearted humor and humility, but respectable leadership qualities I hope to get for myself one day—a trait I’ve only seen in a few others: my father, one of my Botany teachers Dr. McMullen, and my friend from Kansas Michael Tracey.  Rod and I had a good talk about what calling means, he’s taught me how much fun church can be all the time.  He wrote a song and smashed wheat berries with me for the Manna Monday program we created at the church.  Rod was the lucky one to spend the day with me and my excessively weepy and distraught self the day I heard Gus died.  Because two ladies in the church, Jane and Millie, headed the oversight of my work here as my supervisors, Rod was never my boss, just my Pastor.  And I am very thankful to have that type of relationship.  I am thankful for his help organizing the YAV program here so that I have this church as a home for the year. He was such a part of so many lives at this church for so many years.  They will have a big transition coming up at the end of the month when he retires. (and they'll get my 2 months notice sooner than I'm ready for)   I'll miss his wife Cathy too, it just feels like she's my aunt or something the way our conversations go we must be related if you trace it back to Scotland.

I’m gonna miss these two lovely fellas, but life goes on, right?  People move to new “seasons” in their lives all the time, organizations and churches transfer leaders every so often.  People we know die. We will die one day.  Time is short.  Life is short. We all fall short. 

The grass withers the flower fades, but the word of God lasts forever.  My dad says that a lot.  Old things pass away behold everything’s new. 

Cherish the time you have with people because God’s the only one who hangs around forever, but cherish your time with God too.

So much of life is temporary, seasonal, always changing.  That just means it’s life. 

Change the things you can in good ways, leave good marks and a good example behind when you go like Rod and Ryan did for me, Like Gus did for me.  Make sure you always let people know they are loved and Go with God when you leave.  

Thank you Ryan and Rod for all of yourselves that you gave to me and shared with me, to so many others before me, and so many more to come.

So many men (and ladies) still in my life to still change, grow, and learn with, so little time.  All the men in my life really aren't gone, but two really cool guys are moving on ahead of me.