We Remember You...

"In Memory of those gone from our lives too soon... We remember you in the morning, in the night, when we look at the stars, hear a song, revisit a place, and catch a familiar smell. You are always with us in our hearts." ~ Unknown #quotes #stuckinindiana

Do you miss someone and grieve for them? Grief and loss come in many forms. We miss those who have passed on. We miss those who once were cherished friends or family member but are no longer a part of our lives. Although not experienced in our family... I can imagine "missing & grieving" a child who passed prior to or at birth. 

Love comes with some sort of expectation of what the future will bring. The absence of a loved one can be strongly felt at the most expected times -- clearly out of the blue. Love doesn't necessarily stop when a person is no longer a part of our day to day lives. One of the most wonderful things about love is that it lives on and survives and even thrives when the loss happens.

Hold tightly to those feelings of love. They will bring comfort in the most uncomfortable times. They will be an inspiration that love is worth the cost of losing it.

At a Loss for Words...

I'm finding myself at a loss for words... and the funny thing is... it's okay...

Finding myself in the midst of Him, beyond the music - beyond the noise

Word of God speak; pour down like rain; washing my eyes to see Your majesty

Be still and know that You're in this place...

Please let me stay at rest in Your holiness...

All that I need is to be with You and in the quiet to hear Your voice...

Word of God speak; pour down like rain; washing my eyes to see Your majesty

Be still and know that You're in this place...

Please let me stay at rest in Your holiness...

I'm finding myself at a loss for words... and the funny thing is... it's okay!

A Picture Speaks a Thousand Words

If one picture speaks a thousand words, how much is spoken as you pour over years & years of memories captured of a loved one who has gone on? 

Just recently two pretty amazing people in our area went on to receive their heavenly reward. Both individuals had

From Death Into Life

Today I, along with many in my corner of the world, will celebrate yet another wonderful, loving woman who has stepped from death into life. As I was talking last night with the LOML (aka my hubby) about her, I told him:

"The wonderful things that I could stand up & proclaim about Karen as we celebrate her life are the very same words I would have stood up & proclaimed years ago & throughout the years that I knew her. She was a remarkable woman."

The Best Way Out

"Two Worlds II" (oil on canvas) by Jessica Bentley, Artist

Life is full of seasons. And, some of those seasons are grueling... shame, fear, grief, illness, insecurity, loss, persecution... and the list goes on. At times we feel paralyzed by what's happening in our world -- with those around us or what's happening to us -- inside our bodies or our minds. 

My first thought when facing a tough season has often been a question which is probably asked often by many people, "What's the fastest way to get through these seasons?" 

Quiet Yourself & Listen to Your Heart

It was early January and a cold snowy day -- not much different than what we'd been experiencing for the past few months. My winter blues were turned on "HIGH" that year. My desire for warm sun & hidden beaches was intense. Through a few years of experience, I'd finally figured out that those desires could be fed when I was out in nature observing the wonders of God. The dusk light on a snow covered pond brought peace to my restless soul. The sound of the snow crunching under my feet as I wondered through a nearby woods lifted my spirits. Even as I shivered from the cold air, I felt

A Chapter Closed - Surprised By Emotion

I'm working on a few things online this morning for my volunteer gigs (Worship Arts & Women's Ministries) & checking/posting Facebook for them and for me. In my feed the following picture and post popped up, my heart sank & my eyes filled up...

"Now in transition... and it seemed an appropriate time to announce my Conscious Uncoupling from this beloved place. Further, an announcement of my (some will say) Unconscious Recoupling with the great state, and my heart's home... my planned return is in June... in the meantime, my bucket list is lengthy, and I'm looking forward to revisiting the best of the area over the next 60 days. After 15 years, there are many who will be missed and much to be remembered.


Another chapter has closed for our family... poignantly reminding me of a huge chapter that closed last year. The full story is not mine to share. But, the part I've played in this story has added greatly to my life. My heart is filled with sadness... my heart is filled with thanksgiving... all at the same time. There are no bitter feelings toward anyone in this past season. There's just thanksgiving for the good that was.

And where is the good in all of this? I am choosing today to celebrate the LOVE which fills my heart - the LOVE put there by God & given to others. Certain chapters in life bring joy & happiness. Other chapters bring reflection & an aching. In all the chapters of life, God is there... with just what we need.

Today, I celebrate the fact that God has made me a very "lovey" person. I truly fall in love with SO MANY PEOPLE. That's a God thing - 'cause I'm not that nice on my own! Loving someone & then seeing them leave hurts. But, the hurt affirms to me that love is what matters.

If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:1-4,8,13 NLT

Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today... 

Time Heals All Wounds...

Time heals all wounds... or does it?

Today, I'm a bit numb. Yesterday I was a bit numb. And, the day before... I was a bit numb. And, if I am numb, how are those who are personally walking this road this very moment? I'm experiencing this from afar. I'm not related by family or by community. I'm experiencing this from a distance.

How do we make sense of the senseless... 

One of the two pedestrians who was struck by a car Thursday night in south Nashville has died...

As I slept this past Thursday night, I received a text from a friend whom I call my sister. I refer to those friends as my sister-friends. They are the ones you cry with & laugh with through all of their journeys & your journeys, as well. They are the ones who "get you" and yet continually help you become a stronger, better version of "you"! I don't know why the Lord didn't wake me up when the text came in so that I could begin my prayers then. When I checked my cell before 7am that next morning, I read her text & immediately replied assuring her that prayers were being lifted up. The next 8 hours was full of uncertainty, question & earnest prayers to the Father on behalf of this child of 18 and his family.

This child... or should I say this young man... was someone I'd met & adopted as family in my heart years ago. I'd prayed for him growing up as a big brother of two little sisters after the untimely death of their mother. I'd prayed for him & those sweet girls after the untimely & unexpected death of their caretaker, their maternal grandmother. I'd prayed for him as he was choosing his path for a career and for further education. I'd prayed for him as though he was family!

In this moment, I can make no sense of the senseless death of this young man. He was a mentor & guide for his younger sisters. He was a joy to those around him - full of energy & life. He was full of potential. And WHY, I ask God, can that be gone in a moment?

There are no answers to my questions today. There is only HOPE that we will see God bring comfort in this time to those most hurting... HOPE that eyes will be drawn to God as this young man is laid to rest... HOPE that assurance of God's love will be felt in the hearts of those agonizing over this senseless passing.

My heart breaks for those who love this young man. My heart breaks too, for I chose to take him & his family into my heart all those years ago. I hurt. But, my pain can be nothing compared to those who will live this horrible reality on a moment to moment basis for years to come.

My sister-friend, his aunt & in my opinion his "mom" for the past 10 years, posted a note in his honor this morning. It said... 

"For baby boy, we love you forever, and your sisters - our angel girls... Κύριε ελέησον"

Κύριε ελέησον" is Greek and means "Lord have mercy". That is the cry of my heart today... Lord, have mercy! For we have placed all our HOPE in YOU! Claiming this verse and so many others today... 

"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7

Only through the strength of God...

"For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13

Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today...

 

HOPE, When Sorrows Like Sea Billows 10-04-13

At my church this Sunday, we'll be singing one of my very favorite songs, It Is Well. I remember singing it as early as kindergarten - possibly earlier (when my father was pastoring a Church of God in Belding, Michigan). The summer before I entered first grade, Dad accepted the call to Hickory First Church of God in North Carolina - where I remember singing it too! 

The song lyrics were written by Horatio G. Spafford in 1873. Here's the story behind those words:

This hymn was writ­ten after two ma­jor trau­mas in Spaf­ford’s life. The first was the great Chi­ca­go Fire of Oc­to­ber 1871, which ru­ined him fi­nan­cial­ly - he'd been a weal­thy bus­i­ness­man). Short­ly af­ter, while cross­ing the At­lan­tic, all four of Spaf­ford’s daugh­ters died in a col­li­sion with an­o­ther ship. Spaf­ford’s wife Anna sur­vived and sent him the now fa­mous tel­e­gram, “Saved alone.” Sev­er­al weeks lat­er, as Spaf­ford’s own ship passed near the spot where his daugh­ters died, the Ho­ly Spir­it in­spired the words to this song which speak to the eter­nal hope that all be­liev­ers have, no mat­ter what pain and grief be­fall them on earth.

When I think of what Spafford & his wife must have suffered, I'm encouraged that through the sacrifice of God's son we have the HOPE as an anchor to our souls. As stated above, I completely agree I have an eter­nal hope that all be­liev­ers have, no mat­ter what pain and grief be­fall them on earth.

I thank God that no matter WHAT, when I look to Him, I can always have HOPE!

His promises...

So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. Hebrews 6:18-19

Linking this month with The Nesting Place

 for the 31-day Challenge

Every Morning... A New Start!

They are NEW every morning! What? God's mercies! Just like it says in Lamentations 22, His faithfulness is NEW every morning. Each morning we wake up & God already KNOWS what's coming. He's never surprised! He's already at work for us... we just need to trust! Lamentations 3:22-23 are quoted so often. But, take a look at verses 20-24...

"I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, 'The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!'"

You know... it just doesn't get any better than that! We who have called upon His name. We who have accepted the free gift of salvation & eternal life from God. We who have claimed the name of Christ-follower, Christian. WE have his mercies & faithfulness new every morning! He's ALWAYS at work in whatever is happening in our lives. 

As we're told in Psalm 30:5b "... weeping may endure for a night, BUT joy comes in the morning." 

Linking with Ann Voskamp community today...

Crazy Bad Attitude! - 31 DAYS OF CRAZY - 24 October 2012

I have a crazy bad attitude right now! The day was fantastic up until just a few minutes ago.  And, I only have one person to blame for it! I could feel the "ugly" taking over my disposition as I heard the all too familiar CHIPPER, upbeat, excited voice on the other end of the phone closing her conversation with:

"And, what are you making your man for his dinner tonight?"  

Oh, if you could ONLY hear the excitement in that voice.  Oh, if you could only see the darkness take over my countenance.  Yep, there's only ONE person responsible for this change in disposition... and, it's ME!

I sure hope the spaghetti sauce doesn't
splash up on my Grandmother's
pearl necklace!

You see, the two of us are from different generations -- and that actually feels like different worlds to me most of the time. 

When I got married, I was working 55-60 hours per week & ended up being the bread winner for the first 6-7 years of our marriage.  When she got married, she was the stay-at-home wife & homemaker.  

I continued to work full time until our older child entered 1st grade & part-time until our younger child entered grade school.  She stayed at home full-time... picking & canning vegetables, sewing clothes for the family, painting... you know, giving her ALL to make a house a home.  

And today, I have a husband (whom I call the Love of My LIfe - LOML) coming home to me each night from work.  She, on the other hand, welcomes no one home.  She's grieved the absence of her love for too many years now.  She depends on neighbors & church members to help with the things around the house & property which my husband does for me on the weekends.  

I close my eyes at night & listen to the breathing (and, perhaps snoring) of my beloved.  She checks all the door locks once again, turns the heat down to the lowest possible setting, and quietly climbs alone into her queen sized bed.  There's no snoring beside her... but, I know she longs for the day when there was & for the person for whom she found great joy in making a special meal each night for dinner.

For a moment, I forget her loss & I forget my many blessings... and I manage to justify my bad attitude.  I bristle up & bite my tongue.  For years, I tried to convince myself that she was giving me this negative attitude.  When, in fact, it was only caused by one person... by me.

Oh Lord, help me to look beyond myself to the heart of others.  If I error on the interpretation of another's intent of their words or actions, let me error on their behalf.  Daily remind me of the grace that you have extended to me and that I should extend to others.  Life is too short to waste time on bad attitudes!  The blessings come in the moments.  And, moments should not be wasted on bad attitudes!

His Words: 

(got this idea from Chase Tibbs' blog; using it because i love the words of God)

• "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." Psalm 139:23-24
• "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things... " Psalm 119:18
• "Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had." Philippians 2:4-5
• "You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate." Luke 6:36

Over 1200 topics 2012
in the 31 days {of change} with...

Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today...