"Oh, and this is going on..."

"...Did you know that?..."

"...school is going pretty well..."

"...I wish I could see you..."

"...Alright... love you..."

"...Bye for now."

I'm not one to enjoy speaking much on the telephone. But I absolutely love talking with my Aunty Eunice; who lives across the country, who I don't get to talk with very often, and who always lifts my spirits.

And she always ends her phone conversations with, "Bye for now."

For now. It isn't forever. If something happened and I died tomorrow, it wouldn't be a 'goodbye'... because new life would just be beginning. Since she is saved by G-d's grace, and I am saved by G-d's grace, there is truly no goodbye, since we shall ever meet.

"Aloha" in Hawaiian means, "Hello" but also, "Goodbye." And I think that is so beautiful... the one word that means completely opposite of hello, but gives you that sense of welcome...

I know, when we get to heaven, there will be no, 'aloha.' Well, there may be- but only in the welcoming sense of the word. I want to be the welcoming 'aloha' to all my friends and family. And when we say goodbye, I also hope and pray that the 'aloha' will be continued... that even if something happens, we will still meet again in the future- in G-d's kingdom.

This may sound depressing... but to me, it's beautiful. I can imagine Jesus coming to me, and saying, "Welcome, My child. We will never be separated."

How good and gracious He is to me. And how I love Him...

aloha... for now

sierra

Article and Pictures Copyright of Sierra Brewer, 2011