When my husband and I first got married, I remember reading a book called, “Men Are Like Waffles, and Women Are Like Spaghetti.” Funny title, isn’t it? But one I’ve never forgotten. While the grief journey continues to ebb and flow, recently, Melanie has been strongly on my heart. I came across some photos of herContinue reading “Compartmentalizing Grief: Are You a Waffle or a Spaghetti?”
Tag Archives: #bereavedmother
Bereaved Parents Awareness Month
Every year the month of July is designated as Bereaved Parents Awareness Month. There was a time in my life when I never knew such a thing existed. However, now, as a parent who has a child who ran ahead to heaven, I’m all too painfully aware. At first, I wondered why we needed aContinue reading “Bereaved Parents Awareness Month”
Grief – A Lifetime Sentence?
Just like a person convicted of a crime and sentenced to serve jail time, is grief a lifetime sentence? If you ask any parent who has ever lost a child, the answer may likely be a resounding yes. Yet, some have lost spouses and have been able to move forward in life with another partnerContinue reading “Grief – A Lifetime Sentence?”
The Knower of My Everything
When walking through the grief journey, how many of us have heard, “We’re praying for you?” How many times have we said this to others? I know I’ve probably said it thousands of times. But really, when we say we’re praying for someone, what do we do? Do we have to quote scripture? Do weContinue reading “The Knower of My Everything”
Living on Earth with My Eyes on Heaven
Since Melanie ran ahead to Heaven, I’ve become more curious about the place that is now her home. Because that’s where my girl is, I want to know as much about Heaven as possible. As the years have passed, I realize I’m living on Earth with my eyes on Heaven. Have you thought ofContinue reading “Living on Earth with My Eyes on Heaven”
Grief Impacts So Much More Than Our Hearts
When we think of grief’s impact on us, our emotions come to mind first. Sadness, loneliness, the desperate missing, and mourning of our loved ones. But really, it’s so much bigger than that. Grief impacts so much more than our hearts. Tell me, do you feel tired all the time? Has your energy seem to haveContinue reading “Grief Impacts So Much More Than Our Hearts”
How Long Will the Pain Last
This is a frequent question among those who find themselves grieving. During the early days, pain is expected. Even as the weeks become months, there is an expectation and understanding that we are still in pain as we grieve the loss of our loved ones. But as time begins to move forward and the painContinue reading “How Long Will the Pain Last”
A Broken Heart Still Beats
When I was told that my daughter died, it took my heart a moment to catch up with the words my ears heard. The first thing I felt was shock, followed by numbness. I’m convinced this is the body’s way of protecting itself. Looking back on those early hours, I’m in awe that I couldContinue reading “A Broken Heart Still Beats”
International Bereaved Mother’s Day
Each year the week before Mother’s Day, the world observes International Bereaved Mother’s Day. This year it is on Sunday, May 7th. Who knew there was such a thing? I didn’t realize this until I needed to know. We acknowledge this day because no matter what the circumstance surrounding the death of our children, we would chooseContinue reading “International Bereaved Mother’s Day”
Sympathy vs. Understanding
When it comes to grief and loss, what do you think is most important – to have sympathy or understanding? According to Webster’s Dictionary, sympathy is a feeling of sincere concern for someone experiencing something difficult or painful. On the other hand, understanding is having knowledge about a subject or a situation. When my daughter first ranContinue reading “Sympathy vs. Understanding”
Wishing for The Wayback
Today is Melanie’s birthday – her 4th one in Heaven. I thought I was going to fly right through this day – no problem! Hey, life is good. I’m feeling strong … until I’m not. It’s just a reminder that no matter how much time goes by our hearts will always be incredibly tender duringContinue reading “Wishing for The Wayback”
The Multiplication and Division of Grief
We are at a point in our home where neither my husband nor I can help our son any longer in math. When he came home talking about quadratic equations, my eyes rolled into the back of my head. But even without being proficient in this level of math, there is some basic mathematics IContinue reading “The Multiplication and Division of Grief”
Practicing the 3 C’s of Grief: Choose, Connect, Communicate
The grief journey isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon. Like sprint runners, we will not get through our grief in 1 minute 20 seconds. Several friends have run the Boston Marathon, which takes months of rigorous training and preparation. They need to practice running short intervals, then slowly, they begin increasing the time of theirContinue reading “Practicing the 3 C’s of Grief: Choose, Connect, Communicate”
Anxiety & Grief – The Companion No One Wants
There seems to be much talk about anxiety lately. Everywhere I turn, there’s another post, article, or reel popping up. My pastor, Louie Giglio, who suffered from anxiety and depression, has been leading a great discussion about it (https://youtu.be/u8cVVQjL7II). I couldn’t be happier that a topic that affects thousands is gaining so much attention. AnxietyContinue reading “Anxiety & Grief – The Companion No One Wants”
A Firm Foundation Instead of a Slippery Slope
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been waking up with a song in my heart – the same song and the exact words, over and over. If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you know that music is one of the ways that God gives me hope and encouragement as I navigateContinue reading “A Firm Foundation Instead of a Slippery Slope”
Remembering My Girl
Three years … 1095 days … 26,280 hours ago, you ran ahead to Heaven. It still seems like only yesterday and an eternity, all at the same time. Many have asked if it’s become any more manageable over time – the grief, the missing of you. I hesitate, but only for a moment because, indeed,Continue reading “Remembering My Girl”
Worry and Anxiety: A Consequence of Grief
Currently, I’m reading Winning the War on Worry by Louie Giglio with our small group. Although it’s a concise book (only 100 pages), it’s powerful and has made me stop and think long and hard about some of the things I’ve experienced since Melanie ran ahead to heaven. While examining my heart, it’s brought meContinue reading “Worry and Anxiety: A Consequence of Grief”
A New Year: Time to Look in the Rearview Mirror
Have you heard this saying before? For those who are grieving, it takes on a whole new meaning. As a parent who has lost a child, nothing is more important than who has been left behind. Granted, since Melanie ran ahead to heaven, looking back has been challenging. But, on the flip side of theContinue reading “A New Year: Time to Look in the Rearview Mirror”
Navigating Life After Loss
There was a time soon after Melanie ran ahead to heaven when I realized I had no choice but to push pause on my grieving. Unfortunately, the reality is when a person dies there is a myriad of important details which need to be handled. Funerals to be planned, people to be notified, insurance companiesContinue reading “Navigating Life After Loss”
How Can We Survive the “Most Wonderful Time of the Year”
Hello my friends! Well, we just said goodbye to Labor Day and depending on where you live in the world, this is oftentimes the end of Summer as we begin to make our way into Fall. And whether we like it or not, it’s here again – time to plan for the holidays. How canContinue reading “How Can We Survive the “Most Wonderful Time of the Year””