The One-Year assignment

I wasn't prepared to be sad to leave Boston! All through last Fall I kept talking about how we were taking advantage of being here, but we wouldn't be sad to leave. I was wrong. I'm going to be sad. At least about a few things. But let's be honest, we all know I will not be sad to leave the roundabout!

A one-year assignment is different than any other type of assignment. We have never had to do one with kids. I know many of you have had more than your fair share of one-year assignments! And they are not easy, right?

A friend once told me she read an article that said it takes 12 months to develop close friendships. I remember crying, "I don't have that long!"

Even though I pride myself on being someone who jumps in quickly because I know we never have long, this time it either wasn't quickly enough or the time is just too short.

We found a church we love. It feels like home. But for me to feel like I am at home in a church, I have to have a little time to sink some roots down before I feel ready to invest my time in serving regularly. (So much for my pride of jumping in quickly, I guess!) Now that we have been there for 8 months, I was ready. I attended the training to help in Kids' Church and promptly realized I needed to tell the Kids' Church leadership that I have about 2 month to actually serve.

A group of parents started meeting to pray together once a month for our youth at church. I was so excited about it and have gone twice......only to realize I probably only have twice more to go.

So, the question becomes, "Do I keep investing? Or do I pull away?" The easy answer is pull away. It would be much less damaging to my heart. A good friend who has had multiple one-year assignments reminded me tonight that "it's worth it!"

What would Jesus ask of me? Since I have never seen a place in the Bible where He pulled away from anyone unless it was for short amounts of time to pray, I'm going to guess He would tell me to press in, to make the most of the time here, to invest in relationship because you never know how He will use them in my life or maybe even use me in theirs. Friendships are priceless--even when we may not see them again this side of heaven. I have left behind countless military and civilian friends as we have moved back and forth across the country. I remember them fondly and try to stay in touch with as many as possible. They were a stabilizing force in an otherwise unstable military lifestyle. And you know what, I still pray for them when I think of them. Maybe they pray for me, too. So then, what could possibly be wasted by investing with just under three months left? And what could be gained by giving up now? I mean, other than my heart that will ache a little more when we leave!

So, invest I will. To those of you that are here, just know there may be a few more tears shed because of the impact you made on my life in this short amount of time.

And to those who are in the midst of or facing a one-year assignment: Go for it! Jump in! Seize the time. It is fleeting and who of us ever knows how much time we really have? It's worth it!