The Scrapbook

So my church waved me goodbye yesterday. I don't really know what to say about that day. It sure was memorable.

Well, actually, it all started on Friday night with me crying myself to sleep when I recalled the memories from the time one year ago when I first came to Tartu. I still know exactly where my mum sat in the church hall when I preached my first sermon and was officially welcomed here. She was proud of me, she had a gleaming smile on her face - despite the fact that she was already serisously sick - and of course she came with flowers and a cake and we had a little family celebration later in the afternoon. That was a year ago.

And yesterday when I went up to preach I saw my uncle's family sitting at the back of the church. My uncle and his wife, and THREE of my non-Christian cousins with two of their little children. Some of them hardly ever touch a church's door handle so you can imagine my surprise when I actually saw them there. And man, I get emotional by only thinking of it - they came with a big bouquet of flowers and a box of cholocolate and so many kind words I didn't know how to respond to them all. And with my cousin's invitation to go to his summer house and have a celebration.

So we went. I was really tired and overwhelmed by all the emotions (gaah, give me some coffee!) but despite that it turned out to be another wonderful day with my uncle's family. We did some sightseeing in the Southern Estonia and then a lot of eating (too much, really - but hey, I was up and jogging early this morning!) and a lot of running between sauna and their lake. When we left late in the evening I thanked them for... well, for basically being my family. I told my cousin that my mum would be really glad if she knew how they've invited me to be part of their closest family circle.

So what can I say. God has taken and God has given. Blessed be the name of the Lord.