I need new heavy-box carriers.

Well, the summer is officially over here. It was busy, fun, and occasionally a tad stressful; full of laughter, new experiences, and not quite enough sleep. God has blessed us tremendously. It seems that the end of the summer was made official yesterday when the interns left with our last group, and we have a couple of other friends that are leaving Santa Rosa today. I'm really going to miss them all, and not just because I won't have the interns to carry around my heavy things anymore.. Although that is one of the reasons..

I hate saying goodbye, and I really don’t like change. I am so glad that I’ve had the chance to get to know everyone. Because of my faith, I believe that I will see these friends again; if not during this lifetime, then after, and that is something to be thankful for. Now, we all have the chance to catch up on sleep, and it's time to get back into more of a routine.

These verses came to mind while saying goodbye to everyone over the last couple of days. It's maybe a little long, but I'm including the whole thing.

“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-to the glory and praise of God.”
Philippians 1:3-11