Never fun to say goodbye

Tonight the Belpre church had a special fellowship in our honor after class. It was very emotional and touching. Sometimes you never realize how many lives you touch until you leave somewhere. In an odd way, it reminds me of my mom's funeral. I never realized how many people my mom had an impact on until her funeral. Then they all came out to pay their respects.
Tonight kind of felt like that. People I usually don't get the chance to talk to were telling me how Michelle or I had an impact on their life. That brings up two thoughts...
First, don't ever underestimate how God is using you. It may not always seem like it, but you are touching someone for God and you may not even know it.
Second, don't forget to thank and appreciate people. We often go through life without telling people how much they mean to us. We should never wait until a funeral or a goodbye party to tell someone these things. We all do it. We all fall prey to this habit. Take time today to thank someone you have forgotten to thank in the past.
I guess the bottom line is that it is never fun to say goodbye, but it is good to know you are loved. I love the Belpre church. I love the Belpre teens. I want to thank them for all they mean to me. We may be separated by miles, but our hearts will always been near.