***
Last Thursday was the one year anniversary of the tragic death of our brother-in-law. We spent it with family and friends, celebrating a year of him being with Jesus and a year of Jesus being so tangibly with Heather and the boys. I got home and saw this word prompt and honestly, I just couldn't (even) yet. And then last weekend threw us another curveball and while we would like to be done... we just never really are, right?
Our One Word Prompt is DONE. This is Five Minute Friday!
Let's go...
{GO}
I keep saying it, and I know it to be true down deep in my bones... I know it more in this season, that just seems to be dragging on, of hard and holy mixed together:
Peace is a Person...
and He's a GIFT that is available to us at all times.
This season that has lasted for over a year now...
This season that has resulted in loss after loss...
This season of holy and hard...
--of wanting to be done,
but realizing that we just never are done, right?
Not that it's all, "The hits just keep coming!"
It's more like, "We are living eternally right now... and there is just no end..."
But praise God, there are promises and there is Hope (--There is ALWAYS hope!) and there is Light all around and Peace within...
(wait for it...)
--It's just that sometimes we forget!
Last Thursday marked the year anniversary of the tragic loss of our brother-in-law. Many of you walked that grief-stricken path with us. Many of you prayed for us and our sister and her boys. Some of you even gave and sent cards and loved from afar... We saw the Body rise up and surround us in a time of need that we had not yet known. It took our breath away --how the enemy swooped in... but the Army of God rose up on our behalf.
So last week, a small group of family gathered around his grave and we reminisced. We pondered what a year it had been... for Dave with Jesus... and for us, having Jesus so near. We laughed and cried and prayed a prayer and sang a song.
As much as we want to just be done with grief...
it doesn't work that way!
It lingers... it ebbs and flows... and even though I believe we are living eternally right here, right now... it's not until we reach Heaven that we are promised no more tears.
And so we grieve.
We allow space and time and grace to overflow and we block out some quiet and we check in to see how our feelings are feeling from time to time.
Because... --something about self-care.
I was chatting with a friend a few weeks ago who was sharing about what a Jewish funeral is like. It is heart-wrenching and slow-going and my, how they make room for the rending and breaking and eventual healing of hearts... of feeling the loss.
The words she shared stuck with me as well as our continued conversation about how our Western culture --in and out of the church --really just wants us to move along from the sadness.
I mean, we all want that, right?
We all want to not drag it around behind us, or strap it on and be weighed down by the heaviness. (Something about His yoke is easy and His burden is light...?) But there is something holy in not rushing through the process!
We have grieved many things in the past year or so... some of it dealt with actual death, but many things dealt more with just laying things down... letting go...
It's never easy, is it? To stay present in the midst of the pain?
And just when we approached July and the memories of last summer came flooding back, --just when we remembered* to be thankful and to stay present, another blow...
Another trip (or two) to the hospital. And now we wait for more tests and more results and more plans of action or treatment and while we wait... we remember to embrace Peace.
We feel Him near... feel His breath hot on our necks as we bow to pray.
We remember that we are not beggars, but sons and daughters...
We ask in faith and we hope...
always, we hope!
And we remember often that we are never done.
For we who know Jesus are now --even now!-- eternal beings, new creations, seated in heavenly places right now with Him...
So no matter what comes,
we will go on!
{STOP}
We are eternal,
but this life here is just temporary!
May we all live it to the fullest
while we are here!
And may we remember to:
Our One Word Prompt is DONE. This is Five Minute Friday!
Let's go...
{GO}
I keep saying it, and I know it to be true down deep in my bones... I know it more in this season, that just seems to be dragging on, of hard and holy mixed together:
Peace is a Person...
and He's a GIFT that is available to us at all times.
This season that has lasted for over a year now...
This season that has resulted in loss after loss...
This season of holy and hard...
--of wanting to be done,
but realizing that we just never are done, right?
Not that it's all, "The hits just keep coming!"
It's more like, "We are living eternally right now... and there is just no end..."
But praise God, there are promises and there is Hope (--There is ALWAYS hope!) and there is Light all around and Peace within...
(wait for it...)
--It's just that sometimes we forget!
Last Thursday marked the year anniversary of the tragic loss of our brother-in-law. Many of you walked that grief-stricken path with us. Many of you prayed for us and our sister and her boys. Some of you even gave and sent cards and loved from afar... We saw the Body rise up and surround us in a time of need that we had not yet known. It took our breath away --how the enemy swooped in... but the Army of God rose up on our behalf.
So last week, a small group of family gathered around his grave and we reminisced. We pondered what a year it had been... for Dave with Jesus... and for us, having Jesus so near. We laughed and cried and prayed a prayer and sang a song.
As much as we want to just be done with grief...
it doesn't work that way!
It lingers... it ebbs and flows... and even though I believe we are living eternally right here, right now... it's not until we reach Heaven that we are promised no more tears.
And so we grieve.
We allow space and time and grace to overflow and we block out some quiet and we check in to see how our feelings are feeling from time to time.
Because... --something about self-care.
I was chatting with a friend a few weeks ago who was sharing about what a Jewish funeral is like. It is heart-wrenching and slow-going and my, how they make room for the rending and breaking and eventual healing of hearts... of feeling the loss.
The words she shared stuck with me as well as our continued conversation about how our Western culture --in and out of the church --really just wants us to move along from the sadness.
I mean, we all want that, right?
We all want to not drag it around behind us, or strap it on and be weighed down by the heaviness. (Something about His yoke is easy and His burden is light...?) But there is something holy in not rushing through the process!
We have grieved many things in the past year or so... some of it dealt with actual death, but many things dealt more with just laying things down... letting go...
It's never easy, is it? To stay present in the midst of the pain?
And just when we approached July and the memories of last summer came flooding back, --just when we remembered* to be thankful and to stay present, another blow...
Another trip (or two) to the hospital. And now we wait for more tests and more results and more plans of action or treatment and while we wait... we remember to embrace Peace.
We feel Him near... feel His breath hot on our necks as we bow to pray.
We remember that we are not beggars, but sons and daughters...
We ask in faith and we hope...
always, we hope!
And we remember often that we are never done.
For we who know Jesus are now --even now!-- eternal beings, new creations, seated in heavenly places right now with Him...
So no matter what comes,
we will go on!
{STOP}
We are eternal,
but this life here is just temporary!
May we all live it to the fullest
while we are here!
And may we remember to:
The Five Minute Friday community is the best gathering of Flash mob writers around! We wait for the one-word prompt and we throw caution and hesitation and editing to the wind, and we let our fingers fly and our feelings feel and we just wait and see what flows out in five minutes (or so! Because, grace!) and we hit Publish without second-guessing or backspacing!
Linking up with Kate Motaung and the #fmfparty Community today. Five Minute Fridays give us the chance to dive right in and share what He puts on our hearts! Click HERE to read what others have to say about "DONE"
Linking up with Kate Motaung and the #fmfparty Community today. Five Minute Fridays give us the chance to dive right in and share what He puts on our hearts! Click HERE to read what others have to say about "DONE"
The FMF lowdown: The gathering happens on Twitter on Thursday nights & then we write our hearts out & hit publish all over the interwebs on Thursday & Friday (& sometimes on Tuesdays!) It's where we encourage & uplift... where we share prayer requests & praise reports... where we talk food & friends & we find support & kindred hearts. It's where we are reminded that life is good & God is good & we're not alone... & then we all write for five minutes flat, a flash mob of wordsmiths letting our hearts & our fingers do the talking tapping & we hit publish before we can second guess it all away. We'd love to
* - When my Five minutes were officially up!
I'm also linking up with the lovely writer communities linked below:
I'm also linking up with the lovely writer communities linked below:
Crystal Twaddell for #FreshMarketFriday
KRISTIN HILL TAYLOR FOR #PORCHSTORIES
IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF REST, MAYBE THIS SUMMER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO WALK THROUGH 31 DAYS OF RESTING IN HIM. IT'S A SHORT DAILY DEVOTIONAL THAT BOTH EXPANDS YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF REST, AS WELL AS YOUR ABILITY TO TAP INTO IT!
31 Days of Resting in Him: ...It's easier/harder than you think!
(The above Amazon link as an Affiliate link. It costs you the same amount, but helps to cover the expenses of the blog and podcasting!)
IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF REST, MAYBE THIS SUMMER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO WALK THROUGH 31 DAYS OF RESTING IN HIM. IT'S A SHORT DAILY DEVOTIONAL THAT BOTH EXPANDS YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF REST, AS WELL AS YOUR ABILITY TO TAP INTO IT!
31 Days of Resting in Him: ...It's easier/harder than you think!(The above Amazon link as an Affiliate link. It costs you the same amount, but helps to cover the expenses of the blog and podcasting!)
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Thanks so much for stopping by! I always love to hear your thoughts! Remember to: Speak Life - Be Love - Shine On!
~Karrilee~