People Come and People Go

We have a young lady staying with us.

She arrived on January 1st

and we knew we'd have her

for three months.

She leaves next Wednesday

on April 1st.

We've enjoyed several visits

from a dear lady 

going to and from Haiti.

I've enjoyed scooping her up

at the airport or from bus terminals.

We've had overnight stays.

One was a family on a tour,

taking the love of Jesus 

and sweet sweet worship of Him

to the Latino culture

wherever they go.

One young lady stayed with us

enroute to an adventure in California.

Just recently, we had friends from home

come and stay for two nights.

They just left our home this morning.

I have a young man coming 

from April 5th-12th 

to enjoy Miami on his school

spring break.

And I sit here on this breezy 

late afternoon thinking about

my friends who just left

and trying not to think too much

about our sweet guest 

leaving next week.

Life goes by so very fast.

I'm looking out to a high rise

that is going up beside where we live.

When we arrived in Miami on June 10th,

the building was only 

two stories high.

And now, it is so tall,

I have to crane my head upwards

to see the top.

Life is like that building.

Everyone is building something.

We help build one another.

We help people to move forward.

But the best thing is,

the building is getting built.

Life may go quickly 

but there is progress,

even when that progress seems slow.

I tend to build quick connections

with people.

I'm not sure if it's good or bad.

And part of me wants to keep

everyone who has been in my life.

I can't keep them.

I can't keep them any more

than a bridge can keep the cars

that need to cross over 

deep places that would be impassable

save for the bridge.

I'm going to enjoy each person 

God sends my way.

And maybe, just maybe

they'll leave feeling loved.

Maybe they will know

that they have a family 

and that our home is their home.

I know that none of them leave

without blessing us with their presence.

And I pray that each person grows

into the blessing that He made them

to be.