Posts Tagged ‘dealing with grief’
How Death Lost Its Sting
Please read this before watching the video.
If you ever want to see a grown woman brought to her knees with tears overflowing, play this song on Easter Sunday! Listening to it as I’m writing this, the tears are trying to escape my eyes. What a beautiful and promising song.
April really packs a punch for me and my family. In April of different years, I lost two brothers – one young brother to suicide, and one brother (in-law) to a car accident. My pain was multiplied as I watched the mourning of parents and grandparents who never should have had to bury their young.
But in contrast, April bring us tulips and blooming Dogwoods, filled with such hope and promise for new beginnings. We joyfully watch young children frolic in the green grass in search of Easter eggs. We purchase brand new Easter dresses and place colorful bonnets on our child’s head. Then, there is the grand finale… Easter Sunday. But first, we must get through Good Friday.
That first Good Friday after my brother’s passing was one I’ll never forget. Death… Gloom… Sorrow… Pain… Mary’s tears… Jesus’ Crucifixion. With the fresh wounds of my recent loss (of my first brother), and again a few years later with my brother-in-law, the weight of Good Friday was too much to bare. My cross was too heavy to carry.
But, think about this… On Good Friday, almost two thousand years ago, Jesus carried that cross! To compare His burden to mine is far from my point and obviously would be extremely naive. He carried the world’s pain sorrow and on his back not even considering His own pain. How do I know this? He was God in the flesh and could have dropped that cross and showed His might at any point during his long journey to Golgatha.
I am not theologically trained nor feel the point of this post is to journey through the actual crucifixion day. If you want to read more about this, the following quote was taken from Faithward. Also, John 3:16 is a great reference as well.
“In the sacrifice of Jesus’ crucifixion we are shown the depths of God’s love for us and the lengths taken to save us from our sins….”
Again, I could never compare my burden to Jesus’, but Good Friday was a perfect parallel to my journey through pain and death. But, as I post on social media every year…
After my personal Good Friday journey, my hope was restored on Easter morning! Because I believe in Jesus, his death and resurrection, I can celebrate that death no longer has a hold on me. If we believe in Jesus, that he died for our sins to make us worthy of heaven, we will see our loved ones again. He could have dropped the cross and showed his might. But, instead, He endured the cross and He showed his LOVE. Therefore, death has lost its sting.
Now would be the perfect time to listen to the song above.
God Bless You!
Deb
Beyond Sympathy Gifts: Helping Those Grieving
What is your initial thought when you learn that a family member or friend is dealing with the loss of a loved one? Is it calling your local florist to send flowers? Searching for the perfect Memorial Gift Ideas? Do you struggle with what to say or do?
When my family was dealing with a traumatic death, the flowers, meals, and cards were generously flooding our home. While we appreciated every gesture, there was one that stood out. It wasn’t a monetary sympathy gift, a delicious meal, or a meaningful card. It was simply an act of kindness… by a 16 year old high school student.
She appeared the day of my brother’s funeral. We didn’t know her and had no idea of her connection with my brother. She was just there. People were gathering at our home prior to the funeral. Meals were placed on the kitchen counter, half empty cups where scattered all over the house, and it was very chaotic, to say the least. As we were leaving for the funeral, this young lady asked if she could stay behind to “clean up the mess”. While we encouraged her to go to the funeral, she declined.
While we were mourning our loss, she was doing something different; something unexpected. When we returned to our home, we were greeted by the smell of freshly brewed coffee. All the casseroles were heated and placed, ever so beautifully, in our kitchen. Every left behind cup was gone. Each pillow was fluffed and placed warmly on our sofa. The house was comforting and inviting.
The memory of this moment still stings my eyes. As I look back on this day, I do not recall if she was told how much she was appreciated… if she truly understood the impact her act of compassion had our family. Did her parents know what an amazing young lady they had raised?
How can we help those grieving? Please share your stories to enlighten those who are searching for ways to help or words to say.
God Bless You!
Debbie