-
There He Stands
He stands in silence, listening, without a word. Does anyone notice? Will anyone care? Do they even remember that he’s there?
-
How to Help a Grieving Friend
I sat quietly back, sipping on the lemonade the pastor had brought to the house, along with sacks full of Chick-Fil-A, and watched as the parade of people stopped by my sister’s house. We were only 36 hours into this shock wave, and there was already a long list of things to do; decisions that had to be made sooner rather than later. Hours earlier, we sat with the Director of the memorial gardens where my young nephew would be laid to rest, picking out all the various elements one had to do before the burial. This was not our first experience. We’d unfortunately entered the world of family loss…
-
Do You Have the Faith of the Centurion?
Christians often use the functionality of a chair as one of their analogies about faith. Our faith is that the chair will hold us up when we sit in it. The thought is that without faith that a chair will do what it’s supposed to do, we would never sit down. That’s a fair analogy. After all, every day we sit down in various chairs throughout the day. But the analogy is also flawed if what we’re trying to show is an example of having faith in God. What happens when you have the faith for that chair to hold you, so you walk over and sit in it. And…
-
Breathing With Your Mouth Closed
When was the last time you've taken in a deep breath of the outdoor air, blowing out slowly enough to appreciate the fact that you're alive, and that you are able to see, hear, feel, and be a part of life.
-
Don’t Blink
Caught in lashes, that act as temporary gates. Unwilling to be more. Unable to resist. The blink.
-
That 3-Letter Word We All Use
I've often thought it was unfair that some people lived dangerous and reckless lives, smoking, drinking and driving, doing drugs, eating whatever they want...and live for a long time. While others try to make good decisions, and pass away so young?
You May Also Like
Happy Heavenly Birthday
-
A Sad, Happy Birthday to My Friend
Today, September 17, is my friend Kay’s 56th birthday. More accurately, I guess I should say that it would have been her birthday. The last time I saw Kay was over the Labor Day weekend, a few weeks before her 46th birthday. That was when she decided to defy what her doctors were telling her, and prove them wrong. Ten years earlier, Kay had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Several years and multiple surgeries, celebrations, and disappointments later, her doctors spoke those fated words that no one in the middle of a battle wants to hear. He told her they had done everything and there was nothing more they could…
-
The Healing Ministry of Presence
I saw this tweet last week from Rick Warren, a pastor, an author, and the father of a son who committed suicide several years ago. That had to be so hard for him, his wife and family, being a pastor of a large church, a best-selling author of several books, including The Purpose Driven Life, and in the public spotlight for a number of reasons; beyond just the Church community. Grieving the loss of a loved one is hard enough, for anyone. But having to do it in a fishbowl of onlookers, had to be hard. That said, I will admit that I was one of the onlookers, not just…
-
Grieving the Life We Live
Merriam-Webster dictionary defines grief in several ways. We are all most familiar when people talk about the grief that follows the death of a loved one; defined here as a “deep and poignant distress caused by or as if by bereavement.” But there are elements of grief that many of us suffer through that has nothing to do with losing someone. In another definition grief is defined as a “keen mental suffering or distress over affliction or loss; sharp sorrow; painful regret.” This one to me is a better example of what I think many of us suffer with. There is the obvious pain, sorrow, and suffering that comes from…
-
The Masks We Wear
I’ve been thinking a lot about the events of the past week; especially in light of the nature of this blog. Grief is for real! And it can come from many different areas and display in people in many different ways. It’s obvious from the nature of the media coverage, that the fashion and entertainment industries, including many journalists, are trying to come to grips with the loss of two prominent people in less than a week. Grief following the death of a loved one is hard. Trying to figure out the why, when someone takes their own life, is even more difficult. There’s been several reoccurring things I’ve heard…
