Dear Foothills Family and Friends,

Saying "Goodbye" recognizes that something we value, something that is essential to our life right now, is ending. Most of us have had to say good-bye to loved ones who died. Someday, those we love will say goodbye to us when we die. With death, all that we are slips beyond human grasp. All that is left on this earth are the memories that those who loved us will carry with them as they move forward into their own future.

Death forces us to say good-bye to those we love. But we also say good-bye when there is the loss of a job, a retirement, the end of a career, or a specific way of life. Friendships change when the person is no longer our teacher, leader, counselor, or preacher. 

Graduation is another time for saying good-bye. Things change. Weddings are partly a time of saying good-bye. Having a baby means the life we knew will never be the same again. Goodbyes can be somewhat complicated, and they often include painful emotions. 

In John's Gospel we read how Jesus was trying to find the right words to help His disciples understand that He was saying good-bye. He asked them not to forget him (do this in remembrance of me). The disciples were confused and somewhat upset by His words. Jesus then tells them He will be leaving and that where he is going, they cannot come. Peter asks: "Lord, where are you going?" During the Last Supper dialogue, it seems like the disciples didn't really want to question Jesus directly about what was happening. Things seemed scary and painful to deal with. Despite their reluctance to admit to themselves what was going to happen, they knew that a change was coming.

We cannot say "hello" to the future without saying "goodbye" to the past. We can't keep collecting more and more "past" to drag with us on our journey through life. Sometimes we must let go and say goodbye to things and to types of relationships that matter a great deal to us. Saying "goodbye" is not easy. In some relationships, the cost is almost too much to bear. 

Jesus knows how difficult this is. He feels our pain. He offers words of comfort and promises that the Holy Spirit will always be present with comfort and love that will help heal our hearts while we are physically apart from each other. Saying goodbye is an essential part of our joyful walk with Christ. It is essential in our relationships with each other. Our need for comfort opens our hearts to receive the loving, comforting presence of the Holy Spirit. 

As Spirit-filled human beings, goodbyes indicate that we are willing to courageously open ourselves to the future God has for us.

We love you! And we always will.

Duff and Denise