Dear Family of Love,
I hope everyone had a wonderful day after Thanksgiving and had some fun and didn't over do Black Friday. I was going along well until this afternoon when I started to have the weeps and grief bites. This would have been Dad's and my Thanksgiving. I would cook our dinner today. I miss this! I didn't think I would but I do. I also miss my late partner and love of my life Steve who has been gone for two years. So these are the reasons for these periods of sadness.I never know when these will happen.
I know that joy will come in the morning but it will.
The grieving process can be very difficult during the holidays. Here are a few things we want you to know:
All of us who are grieving are going through the process of grieving and no we cannot skip steps.
So we cry, we remember with tender hearts, and get angry.
Please be patient with us as we go through this.
Do not ignore or abandon us during this time of year.
We all need to be treated as visible and need comfort.
Step it up and be the soft places in which we need to fall and feel safe.
Let us freely remember the good and bad times.
Invite us out for dinner, lunch, brunch, or coffee.
Invite us to go to plays, concerts or exhibits.
Don't assume that we like being by ourselves and like being alone.
Give us hugs! We love being hugged and miss intimacy.
Send us cards and call us.
Be loving and not cold.
Give us gift cards for no reason.
Remind us that it is ok to grieve and express or emotions openly.
Take note our blood families may not be as kind or compassionate and many times haven't learned the proper way of being a family.
Allow us to show your endless photos and share memories even if we are repetitive.
Allow us the above and more.
God wants us to comfort all who mourn. God doesn't let us off the hook because we are the least of these too. Remember that we are are all in this together every day of the year and most especially during the holiday season. We are all family and as a family we are to be united in love, joy, hope, and yes even in our sorrows. May we always keep our eyes and hearts open for those of u who are grieving and going through hard times.
Here are a few passages from scripture having to do with grief:
Matthew 5:4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 43:2 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”
Psalm 18:28 “You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.”
Psalm 46:1-2 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.”
Revelation 21:4 “ ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Psalm 119:50 “My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.”
Romans 8:18 “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”
2 Corinthians 7:10 “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”
Psalm 18:2 “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
Psalm 27:4-5 “One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.”
Psalm 30:5 “For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”
Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Lamentations 3:31-33 “For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone.”
Isaiah 61:2 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners; 2To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, 3To grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.…
For any of you who may be feeling losses of any kind the above may help and may soothe your broken hearts and give you comfort.
Let us be at prayer.
God of all comfort be with us who mourn that we may feel your loving arms around us.
God of all comfort help us to serve and come to the aid of the least of these.
God of all comfort heal all those who are ill and infirm.
God of all comfort help us us to reach out to the lonely and the lost
God of all comfort help us to be kind and loving to all children who are having a rough time this time of year. May we show them that we understand and care and are willing to listen to them without judgement.
God of all comfort help us to listen with ears of the heart, mind, and spirit.
God of all comfort we pray for peace in your fragile and broken world.
God of all comfort we pray for everyone who has been a victim of violence and abuse of any kind.
God of all comfort help families who need to learn to be loving, compassionate , show loving kindness and warmth.
God of all comfort help us to lovingly respond to all of our family members.
God of all comfort we add our prayers for ourselves and those on behalf of others especially____________
We pray these prayers and offer them in the Name of Jesus the Christ. Amen.
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Good Night Dear Family of Love. I love you, you matter, and I give thanks to God for you this day and always. Don't forget to write down all your worries, anxieties, fears, and now your sorrows and place them in the Worry/Sabbath box. Don't forget to also place your grateful list and thanksgivings into the joy box.
Love, prayers, blessing, and may you feel God's loving comfort around you this day and always!
Sara
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