Reviewing notes ….blogs…

 Reviewing notes…blogs…

Starting a new “growth” group this month, reviewing notes, rewatching cds has set me on a “return” path…a path taken I started 12 years ago…”Griefshare”, a focused study on grief with participants familiar with loss and grief…a course designed to help   one another journey from grief to Joy, or a new normal in life, to move forward…

when I first took the class, it was after my husband had died but 3 years after my mother had died and right before my father died…intense…I took it the first time as a participant and then later as a co-leader “advancing” to leader/facilitator….each time learning  and still learning…

That is when I started blogging…it was a way to decompress, listen and also encourage…( they eventually ended in a book form, sold on Amazon)…at first, many, many blogs were on grief, then it morphed into other parts of life and observations…

But, the grief ones were special and still are…so that being said…I may be revisiting those blogs…they are just as relevant now as they were this years ago…

Thank YOU….

“Prepared for grief... 

 

One of the questions the Griefshare workbook asks is; "Pretend you are writing a letter to a friend to help him or her prepare for grief...what would you tell your friend to expect?" 

 

Prepared for grief??? How do you prepare for grief?  I looked at this question over and over...no one could have "prepared" me except whether or not I was  part of God's family....that is the basic, bottom line preparation...then I at least knew I had Someone beside me, with me, in me no matter what...but prepared? No way...no matter how many times I have watched others go through grief, given out books, held their hands, given them hugs, encouraged them...it is still an individual experience that tests us to our very inmost depth, souls and beyond.... 

 

It is good and but, sometimes overwhelming,  to go through a grief class,  but one has to be ready to start to assimilate life again after the death of a loved one...ready to move forward, ready to accept all the emotions that come tumbling out, the lost expectations, the anger, the holidays, the new normal, the "life goes on", the decisions, the torrent of tears, even the joy and laughter, the "why Lord questions", even the "thank you", or whatever comes forth from that place of grief... 

 

Like Lazarus coming forth out of the grave when Jesus called him...he was clothed in death wrappings, newly aware of life, probably treated differently, asked "what was it like?", but probably a new perspective on life around him....we, who have grieved or are grieving are newly aware of changes in our lives, are shedding our death wrappings, are working through a different level of life, are still answering "what is it like" questions and may be treated differently.....what will be our new normal....what will define us....who will we comfort, encourage...who will be our Guide.... 

 

Thank YOU that You are always there...even sometimes when we don't "feel "  it...help us to come forth, alive in You...”

Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.

Psalm 61:1-3