When Someone Is Missing

It’s been a while since I posted a really personal blog piece, which is unusual for a blog that did start out by being personal.

Nevertheless here it be a personal post.

Over the last two weeks my wife has been out of the home. Her three daughters certainly noticed her absence. The thing about the absence as well as that there is no real way that I as their Dad could fill it. Authrine’s unique personality and standing in the home is that immense. It’s not even about the things she does in the house. The girls were still fed, clothed, sorted for school and given care – but the absence of their mother affected them deeply.

Your response might be, of course they will be miss her, she is their mother. Anyone would miss their mother.

I’m not so sure people do, though. It’s also interesting to consider if people have that same impact on a community of faith that’s meant to be a family. Would we notice if someone was missing? Not in the attendance register membership roll kind of missing. Missing from the heartbeat of the family. Not because of their nominal title, but because of their heart, their presence, their engagement, their character.

That only tends to happen in those communities/families where people are investing in each other’s lives far beyond a nominal basis. If we don’t organise our lives together to reflect that, how can we really be a family? What’s the point in being a school or an entertainment centre but not a family?

My desire is to encourage people to live a life where when you go your absence is not just another statistic, but it’s a member of the family missing and that means something.

For His Name;s Sake

Shalom

C. L. J. Dryden