I wonder how many of us in Ealing are living here whilst family members are living miles away?
It can be a challenge not seeing our loved ones, despite technology helping us keep in touch.
This year my daughter is doing a gap year in Uganda - over 4,000 miles away. She left England in October and will not be back until July - 9 months later! The longest she had ever been away until now was one week, so 9 months feels like a really long time!
She is volunteering for Smile International which has involved:
- teaching in a local school
- helping with their hospital ministry
- supporting families
- helping to run outreach events through the church they are partnering with.
I am so proud of what she is doing and how she is coping living away from home - not only shopping and cooking for herself and others, finding her way around and making new friends, but also washing her own clothes by hand!
She moaned about having to use the washing machine to wash her own stuff at home!
But even though I am proud of what she is doing I miss her loads...
I have particularly missed her at special family occasions such as Christmas, Mother's Day and my birthday but to be honest I just miss not having her around generally.
- I miss our chats in her room - often laying on her bed finding out how her day had been or telling her about mine
- I miss watching DVDs on her bed together – our favourite being The Musketeers, or a good chick flick
- I miss listening to her putting on different accents (Australian being the most cultivated one) whilst revising for exams - don't ask me why but we both used to be in stitches so it certainly livened up the revision!
- I miss her making me cups of tea – she had my exact requirements pretty mastered before she left
- I miss not being able to give her a hug and tell her I love her in person
- I miss her noise…the house is very quiet without her!
My daughter, Lois, is so full of life, energy and fun, loud and vivacious and underneath very caring, loyal and compassionate towards others.
Being a mum has been one of the best things I have had the privilege of doing. It can at times feel like a heavy investment - endless sleepless nights (both for babies and teenagers!), selfless serving, giving yourself emotionally, physically and financially, running around after them, praying for them, trying to negotiate with them, not to mention the endless washing, cooking and clearing up...but it is great to watch them as they leave home and take on responsibilities and challenges – to know that you have been a part of shaping who they have become and to realise that they are now investing in others around the world.
Are your family far away?
What do you miss about them?
I see the church as a family too – a place to belong, a place to share life with others, to make memories together, to show love and commitment, to encourage one another and be there for one another in life’s challenges.
Why not come along to Redeemer and see for yourself!
The Bible says:
God sets the lonely in families
