For the Heavilin Herald this month I have decided to share an article that I had written for the daily devotional at Keswick online called Victory Call. This is a devotional, especially for women. I write a devotional occasionally.
As you know one of the passions of my heart is for the bereaved as they face the holidays. This time of year can be very difficult for those who have lost a loved one during the year. I remember my first year after the the deaths of Nathan and Ethan, our twins who were born on Christmas Day. Friends changed their plans for Christmas to help me through the day. I will never forget their love and care. I also remember receiving a “To Comfort You At Christmas” card. Someone was finally saying it was okay to dread Christmas. The card didn’t say you had to dread Christmas but it did acknowledge the possibility. Since that time, I have tried to remember those who have died and acknowledge the loss to their families. This goal has been very rewarding for me. I have received many thank you notes because I have acknowledged their loved one.
So my challenge for you is: do you know anyone who has died this year? Have you acknowledged the loss to the family? There is no right way to do this. An acknowledgment in a handwritten note may well be enough. Above all, don’t let them feel forgotten. God will guide you as to how much you should do, but DO SOMETHING.. Let people know you care.
______________________________________________
IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN
Pro 3:27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.
“It’s time for my annual reminder that Christmas is coming, and some people may not be happy about it. For those of us who haven’t experienced anything negative this year, Christmas may be our favorite time of year, but for others they may have to deal with the fact that Christmas is coming and someone they loved dearly will not be present this year. So rather than be excited about Christmas, they may be somewhat hesitant or even fearful about how to deal with the actual day and the days preceding it. Here’s how you can help.
You can offer to do the shopping for them. For some people shopping is not easy because of the music at the mall, the crowds and the constant reminders of what they planned to buy for the person who is missing or perhaps they planned to do their shopping together.
You can send an appropriate card, not a jolly ho ho card but a “To Comfort You At Christmas” type of card.
You can do some special baking for your bereaved friend. It is always nice to have something to offer those who stop in, but your friend may not have the energy to do any baking this year.
You can invite them or even take them to a memorial candle lighting in honor of those who died during the past year. Those of you who are computer savvy can also find listings of memorial candle lightings in your area and provide a list for your hurting friend. Sometimes things just look too complicated to even try.
You can also print up a special card with the deceased person’s name on the card and provide a picture frame which is a tree ornament in which your friend can place a picture of their loved one and hang on the tree. An invitation to a candle lighting Memorial can also be included. I have done this for many years and always receive thank you notes from the recipients. It always seems so special to see the name in print.
You can also invite your friend to spend Christmas with you and partake of the holiday meal with you. Perhaps they have already made commitments to the family but it definitely feels good to be wanted by others. Don’t be offended if they turn you down.
Try to be cognizant of the fact that there are some people in the world who aren’t looking forward to the holidays, so be very gentle with them.”
___________________________________________
We are planning to leave for Morro Bay on December 28, and we will return to our apartment sometime in April. We have experienced enough cold weather that we are ready to head for California. We look forward to seeing our friends there.
This past weekend we had the privilege of attending a Canadian brass concert. That concert certainly helped us get into the Christmas spirit. We loved the concert, and we enjoyed the levity. If you have a chance to attend a Christmas concert, I encourage you to do so. Also the annual worldwide candle lighting sponsored by The Compassionate Friends is always held the second Sunday of December every year you can find the location by contacting your local Compassionate Friends organization or by going to www.compassionatefriends.org on the Internet. Glen and I try to attend every year.
I wish I could say I have been healed , but I can’t. We like our doctor. and we feel she is determined to find a diagnosis, but it just hasn’t happened yet. Please pray that my pain level will go down very soon and that I will be walking better and will have a diagnosis soon. The physical therapy seems to be helping, but I also think that therapy may well be causing a lot of the pain.
This will be my last Herald submission for 2013. You will hear from me again in 2014 . Thank you so much for your prayers for our health and safety. Please continue to remember us in prayer.
Much love in Him,
Glen and Marilyn
MERRY CHRISTMAS
May your Christmas be peaceful and
your New Year gentle