Grief Wanes in the Wake of Gratitude

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. – (Colossians 2:6-7, NIV)

You accepted Christ Jesus as Lord, so continue to live following Him. You must depend on Christ only, drawing life and strength from Him. Just as you were taught the truth, continue to grow stronger in your understanding of it. And never stop giving thanks to God. – (Colossians 2:6-7, ERV) 

Now that you have welcomed the Anointed One, Jesus the Lord, into your lives continue to journey with Him and allow Him to shape your lives. Let your roots grow down deeply in Him, and let Him build you up on a firm foundation. Be strong in the faith, just as you were taught, and always spill over with thankfulness. – (Colossians 2:6-7, VOICE)

 

Grief shows up in unexpected spaces, and seeks to sink the soul. Last night, as I attempted to fall asleep, I was flooded by sorrow as I longed to be with my family. I have never been separated from my boys for more than a week, and after nearly three months, this mama’s heart has found its limit. My heart simply grieved for the time lost. Missed concerts, activities, milestones, mornings, moments, and the joy of doing life together. It has always been my boys and me, and this space of occasional visits on a weekend that works, is simply not enough. I know it is a preview of adulthood, but we have not yet arrived at that point, and I do not want to miss out on the precious time that I am given. This morning, as I read and pondered these two verses from Colossians 2, I recognize how relevant this particular passage is for me right now. The best remedy for grief is gratitude. I cannot dwell on time lost, but rather must fix my eyes, heart and mind on the blessings that I have before me. My boys want me to be with my mom, as they know how important it is that she have her daughter with her to care and advocate on her behalf. Both boys have set aside their own desires, and are thinking of their grandmother first. As their mom, I am beyond grateful for their kind and generous hearts. Additionally, there is the obvious, as I cannot even begin to unpack my praise to God for sparing the life of my mom. She has been the most incredible example of selfless love throughout my entire life, so how could I not be present and invest all that I am in walking beside her on this road to recovery?

As for mom’s moving along, she had her first attempt at walking with a cane yesterday. There is a huge learning curve, and she was not a fan, due to the seeming unsteadiness in comparison to her walker, yet she persevered, and walked a good fifteen feet with it, before transitioning back to the walker to complete two lengths of the hallway and into the kitchen. Her interest in getting out of the house continued as well, as she advocated to go get coffee and spring rolls from our favorite takeout place. We enjoyed our drive into town and back, and then had a very relaxing afternoon and evening. I think that it was needed after the crazy, busy weekend of birthday fun, as it was the first time that there were no extra people in the house. Today mom has occupational and speech therapies on the agenda, and tomorrow, my sister will arrive back in town so that I may return home for a bit of a furlough.

May we be strong in faith and overflowing with gratitude, for it is in this space that we find peace.

 

When we live in Christ,

Strong rooted in Him;

Our faith is built up,

To graciously live.

As we are built up,

Strengthened we give praise;

Hearts overflowing,

With thanks all our days.

In everything,

Pursue gratitude;

Grace overpowers,

Heartache’s solitude.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we are strengthened in faith as we praise and give thanks. Thank You that gratitude helps overcome the weight of grief. Forgive us for sitting in our own heartache rather than seeking You to show us Your kindness and grace. Teach us to trust You more, as You are loving and kind, ready to hold us and lift us up, no matter how we come. Show us how to love those around us well, so that we may strengthen, encourage, help and hold others in their spaces of grief or lack. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to be our strength and our salvation forever. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. – Psalm 107:1

Strength for the Soul

As soon as I pray, You answer me; You encourage me by giving me strength. – (Psalm 138:3, NLT)

When I called to You for help, You answered me and gave me strength. – (Psalm 138:3, ERV)

On the day I needed You, I called, and You responded and infused my soul with strength. – (Psalm 138:3, VOICE)

 

Every single day, whether with mom or on a brief furlough home, God is faithful to meet me when I pray. Sometimes, who am I kidding, most often, the prayers of my heart are simply, “Oh God, please help!” He is faithful to come and bring clarity in chaos, and calm in moments of distress. Last night, when mom woke for the third time in a matter of four or five hours, I knew there had to be something waking her. I slowed down, asked for help, then gently asked mom if she was okay. She said she was, but I noticed she kept touching her right shoulder. I asked if it was bothering her, and she replied, “yes.” When I offered to grab her some ibuprofen, she accepted. After that, she slept soundly until a reasonable time to rise. Sometimes, strength comes through a few solid hours of consecutive sleep. Other times, it rises up as the soul is infused with the strength of our Savior at work in our hearts. Either way, He is good.

As for yesterday, it was transition day, as I arrived back in Wenatchee late morning. It was a fantastic reunion, and as always, wonderful for mom to have both of her girls at the same time, even if only for a few hours. To celebrate, she determined she was willing to venture out so that we could all have lunch together. For me, this was a joyful first experience with mom since her stroke, and wonderful to watch her willing to spread her wings, be it ever so hesitantly. We decided to try The South, down at Pybus Market, as we were getting an early start and should likely beat the typical Sunday lunch crowd. Our estimation was correct, and there were only two other tables occupied in the whole establishment. We had a wonderful lunch together, and enjoyed the view near the river in the company of each other. After lunch we returned home, and before we knew it, it was time for Megan to leave for the airport to fly back home. Mom and I had a mellow evening of movies and exercises, as we were updated with Meg’s travel status as she went. Today, we return to a more typical week, kicking off the day with physical therapy at 8:15 this morning.

My prayer is for strength to continue to abound all the more in mom as she rebuilds, and for healing and recovery of her right arm that seems so painstakingly slow. May you know the faithful strength of the Lord as you seek Him.

 

God faithfully gives,

His strength as we ask;

He hears all our prayers,

Equips us to task.

So much more than that,

His love knows no bounds;

Our heart in His hands,

In Him, we are found.

Choose call on the Lord,

And earnestly pray;

He hears and answers,

With strength each new day.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we pray to You, You give us the strength that we need. Thank You that You are loving and kind, faithful and true. Forgive us for the times that we neglect to trust in You. Show us again, how very faithful You are. Help us to love those around us with Your strength and faithfulness, so that they too, may be encouraged and lifted up in You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we pray to You and depend on You to be our strength. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. – 2 Samuel 22:33