Family Photos (Minus One)

Sunday, April 11, 2021

Sunday, April 25, 2021

It feels like deja vu in our home as a new countdown begins to the departure of another dear daughter. Just like last year, we are in lockdown and most of the traditional trappings of celebration are absent. The day Isabel completed her final assignment of her high school career, we celebrated by ordering fresh fruit juices from La Ecuatoriana. There will be no cap and gown or graduation ceremony. But just like last year, the enforced closeness allows us lots of family time we might otherwise have missed. 

More than ever before, weekday mornings are sacrosanct as we gather in the living room to start the day in family devotions and prayer. Wakefulness may not be guaranteed but everyone's presence is required! Just bringing us all together and "setting our minds on things above" (Colossians 3:2) sets the tone for a brighter day. God is always faithful to meet us each morning.

It is rare that a day passes without lengthy time spent around the table at lunch and afterwards in occasionally comical, sometimes serious conversation. At least once or twice a week, games are pulled out and a few rousing rounds of Dutch Blitz, Monopoly Deal, or Pit are played. Sometimes Sissy succeeds in convincing enough of us to engage in Code Names (her current favorite.) More often, evenings end with Mom and kids (sans Silas) scattered about the living room watching something on TV. With a 9 PM countrywide curfew, there aren't a whole lot of evenings options anymore!

Sundays are still special. It has been over a year and in all that time, only twice (in December/January) has our church been able to meet in person on the Lord's Day. That's two out of fifty-eight Sundays. Three other times we were able to briefly and gratefully meet on a weekday. That's five total in-person gatherings in 406 days. But each Sunday since the state of emergency was declared in Chile, our family rises and dresses as though we were still headed to church and "to church" we go! Nowadays it is with our Chilean church family through Zoom. Though it will never be the same as worshipping together in person - it is still a blessing every time. 

With only four more Sundays before we say goodbye to Isabel, once again I am encouraging the family photos that I know we'll treasure when she's gone. They are bittersweet because they are always "minus one" and I feel Eva's absence keenly. But the reality of God's work in our oldest daughter's life away from us is what comforts and assures us that Isabel, too, will be stretched and grow in the shelter of His care this coming year.