this past weekend we said see ya later to our friends the copelands. they are off on an adventure for the summer and then leave for indonesia in august. they have lived around the corner from us for over a year. malachi and their youngest hazel are just 2 weeks apart and the older boys, gavin and paul, let malachi be their sidekick. we have shared a lot of random moments, like playing in the dirt, laughing at kids, and beach days. we have also shared a lot of significant events like baptizing our babies, gatherings where we shared about God's work in our lives and around us, tears streaming down our faces on a bad day, and joys that made us smile until it hurt. we will miss sharing these day to day moments, but we are excited that they will bless a new community with their family's humor, grace, service, love, joy, wisdom and friendship.
So, if you know the copeland 5 you know what i'm talking about and if you don't you probably have friends like them that you've said goodbye to. it's a sad day when good friends move. the strange thing is that i think this was one of the hardest goodbyes because i don't know how to explain to malachi that they are not just around the corner like always. so when we take a walk we won't hear their laughter greet us and malachi won't start squealing because he sees the kids. we know from experience that you can still be friends across a lot of miles and now with skype we'll just have computer moments together...
ok one last thing i made them this cd and this song was the first one...
FESTIVAL OF FRIENDS by Bruce Cockburn
An elegant song won't hold up long
When the palace falls and the parlour's gone
We all must leave but it's not the end
We'll meet again at the festival of friends.
Smiles and laughter and pleasant times
There's love in the world but it's hard to find
I'm so glad I found you -- I'd just like to extend
An invitation to the festival of friends.
Some of us live and some of us die
Someday God's going to tell us why
Open your heart and grow with what life sends
That's your ticket to the festival of friends.
Like an imitation of a good thing past
These days of darkness surely will not last
Jesus was here and he's coming again
To lead us to his festival of friends.
Black snake highway -- sheet metal ballet
It's just so much snow on a summer day
Whatever happens, it's not the end
We'll meet again at the festival of friends.
