A New Chapter / See ya laters
I got back from my last trip to Beaumont yesterday... as I was leaving it I totally lost it and broke down and cried like a baby, while I was saying goodbye, while I was driving away, and pretty much all the way down I 10. I know I'm going to be leaving everything behind soon and I know that sucks and I know that hurts. But I don't think I was ever really mentally prepared to part ways with my "little brother".
I know within the span of the next two weeks I'm going to have to part ways with the Bums and my Family as well, but those I have been preparing myself for for years... leaving Caleb behind and all those other wonderful people in Beaumont... that one is the one that really hurts more than anything....
As I told Caleb though "One thing I seem to have found out in my life is that sometimes in order to truly move forward you must be ready to give up everything you know and love." I guess the best example I can think of in this case is Joseph... taken away from his Family due to trecherous brethern, sold into Slavery, accused for crimes he didn't commit, and becoming the second in command of all of Egypt. And in the end he even got to be with his family again... it was just that he had to part ways with them for a while in order to do what God had planned for him.
The other thought I wanted to leave Caleb with was that "Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather Courage is feeling the fear but not letting it hold you back, not letting it keep you from doing things." I'm scared crazy right now, and so stressed out I feel I'm about to snap, but for once in my life, I'm not letting my fear of the unknown stop me this time... I'm gonna be brave for a change...
God has a plan for me in Anthem Arizona, I know he does, it's obvious with the way everything just kind of fell into place... the job, the living arangements (Thanks Liz and Steve) and even a new car... God wants me in Arizona... and I need to get out of Pearland, if only temperaraly... this truly is a Godsend.
See ya laters.... (Not Goodbyes, those are too perminent)
To The Bums... It looks like within the next few years we're going to all be heading our Seperate ways... our friendship is strong enough to survive it though... as long as we don't loose track of each other things are going to be fine... BUMS OF THE WORLD UNITE!!!!
To Caleb... I love you man, you are honestly the little brother I always wanted but never had and that's really special... I wish I was moving closer rather than further away, but hey... who knows what the future holds. One thing is for sure though, this is not goodbye, this is simply a See ya later. I WILL be back, I WILL visit any oppritunity I can and I WILL in the meantime, keep in touch in any other way I can. You stand strong even when doing the right thing is the hard thing to do (that's usually the way it goes) and don't allow ANYTHING to take you away from Christ. And you can stand to be a little bit nicer to your mom and dad dude, they're wonderful people and give them a bit of a hard time sometimes don't ya? ^.^ You have been blessed with a wonderful christian home and a wonderful church as well, be thankful for that every day of your life... I hope to find the same in Arizona. Stand strong, and make me proud.... God loves you and I love you.... -Ross-
To the other wonderful people in Beaumont.... I want to thank all of you for showing me that even when my church home threw me away, and even when I couldn't find somewhere near home to belong, that there were still places where I fit in, places where I could work in the church, and places where fellow christians would still love and accept me. Your church is amazing and you youth group is simply breathtaking... the future of your church is in good hands.The bond you share and the sence so unity that emminates for you all when you are fellowshipping together is truly inspiring. It is thanks to all of you that I was able to pick myself up from the spiritual low I had been cast to and I will be eteranally grateful for that. I love you.
To those in Arizona ... I haven't met you yet, but I'm looking forward to it. Liz has had nothing but good to say about you. This is my new life, this is my second chance and it's full of hope and the chance of a new start. I look forward to meeting you all and doing the Lord's work... The family of God is a family that you can find wherever you go, so no matter how far away from home I am, I know that I will have family nearby... Here's to a new beginning!
I know within the span of the next two weeks I'm going to have to part ways with the Bums and my Family as well, but those I have been preparing myself for for years... leaving Caleb behind and all those other wonderful people in Beaumont... that one is the one that really hurts more than anything....
As I told Caleb though "One thing I seem to have found out in my life is that sometimes in order to truly move forward you must be ready to give up everything you know and love." I guess the best example I can think of in this case is Joseph... taken away from his Family due to trecherous brethern, sold into Slavery, accused for crimes he didn't commit, and becoming the second in command of all of Egypt. And in the end he even got to be with his family again... it was just that he had to part ways with them for a while in order to do what God had planned for him.
The other thought I wanted to leave Caleb with was that "Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather Courage is feeling the fear but not letting it hold you back, not letting it keep you from doing things." I'm scared crazy right now, and so stressed out I feel I'm about to snap, but for once in my life, I'm not letting my fear of the unknown stop me this time... I'm gonna be brave for a change...
God has a plan for me in Anthem Arizona, I know he does, it's obvious with the way everything just kind of fell into place... the job, the living arangements (Thanks Liz and Steve) and even a new car... God wants me in Arizona... and I need to get out of Pearland, if only temperaraly... this truly is a Godsend.
See ya laters.... (Not Goodbyes, those are too perminent)
To The Bums... It looks like within the next few years we're going to all be heading our Seperate ways... our friendship is strong enough to survive it though... as long as we don't loose track of each other things are going to be fine... BUMS OF THE WORLD UNITE!!!!
To Caleb... I love you man, you are honestly the little brother I always wanted but never had and that's really special... I wish I was moving closer rather than further away, but hey... who knows what the future holds. One thing is for sure though, this is not goodbye, this is simply a See ya later. I WILL be back, I WILL visit any oppritunity I can and I WILL in the meantime, keep in touch in any other way I can. You stand strong even when doing the right thing is the hard thing to do (that's usually the way it goes) and don't allow ANYTHING to take you away from Christ. And you can stand to be a little bit nicer to your mom and dad dude, they're wonderful people and give them a bit of a hard time sometimes don't ya? ^.^ You have been blessed with a wonderful christian home and a wonderful church as well, be thankful for that every day of your life... I hope to find the same in Arizona. Stand strong, and make me proud.... God loves you and I love you.... -Ross-
To the other wonderful people in Beaumont.... I want to thank all of you for showing me that even when my church home threw me away, and even when I couldn't find somewhere near home to belong, that there were still places where I fit in, places where I could work in the church, and places where fellow christians would still love and accept me. Your church is amazing and you youth group is simply breathtaking... the future of your church is in good hands.The bond you share and the sence so unity that emminates for you all when you are fellowshipping together is truly inspiring. It is thanks to all of you that I was able to pick myself up from the spiritual low I had been cast to and I will be eteranally grateful for that. I love you.
To those in Arizona ... I haven't met you yet, but I'm looking forward to it. Liz has had nothing but good to say about you. This is my new life, this is my second chance and it's full of hope and the chance of a new start. I look forward to meeting you all and doing the Lord's work... The family of God is a family that you can find wherever you go, so no matter how far away from home I am, I know that I will have family nearby... Here's to a new beginning!
posted by Ross at 9:49 AM
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