Onward

This is my last week at Richardson East Church of Christ (now named CARE Church).  We have attended church here since 2004, and I have worked for the school as the bookkeeper since 2007.  Both of our children were born with Richardson East as their church home, and they attended CARE Child Development Center as Infants all the way through Kindergarten.  Everything about this church is in our blood.  We leave with heavy hearts but joy for what is to come.  In the words of Jonathan Martin (I know people are shocked I am quoting him!), “There’s no space in you for ache if you haven’t experienced something profound; to experience loss is only evidence you’ve experienced real beauty.  I have only gratitude for my time here.”

Jonathan is currently moving on from where he is as well, actually moving cities. Attending Richardson East so long, and working here also, feels like my whole world is changing.  That little dash 2004-2018 had a lot of living and loving in it.  Several things Jonathan said hit the heart of where I am and what I am doing.  It inspired me to write this note today, before it becomes real on Thursday.

“There was a lot of hard growing up.  What do you do now, with the new person you’ve become?”

“Sometimes all you hear is “go”, and the only thing you know is you can’t stay where you’ve been.”

Jonathan asks do you want to sing a little gospel, or raise a little hell – my answer is yes to both!  He also mentions wanting to erase the line between sacred and secular.  Yes, I am here for that too!  I don’t know what that looks like yet, but I have landed at a place that wants to help me explore what this means.

Richardson East was a love story for our family. Love can hurt at times, because inevitably when you love-you will experience loss.  I really don’t think we can know joy without knowing grief too.

The journey always moves forward. We cannot cling to old ways, ideas, or even people. Receiving the table that once belonged to the Burson family who passed away far too soon, felt like a blessing for our journey.  This table is a death and resurrection story.  The Table also reminds us there is room for everyone.  I never imagined a table like this for our family.  God is in the business of surprising us beyond our imagination.

I can’t wait to explore new opportunities.  The Jesus story is wild and free.  It is not bound by our rules.  We are free.  We don’t have to worry so much about not getting it right – worry about not living and causing others to not live. We have so much anxiety because we don’t believe God is really that good and inclusive.  I want to be a part of the journey that tells a different story. Every voice is included, cherished and important to the story.  Life is not all about us, but we are about life.  Who we are plays into the flow of life, creating the world we live in.  Theology matters.

Onward!  Here are some pictures of the beautiful journey we have been on with Richardson East and CARE Child Development Center.