With your help Lord today will be better than yesterday. Instead of waking and asking “Why am I still alive?” I will begin with hope in my heart, try to perform at least one good deed and wish a stranger a good day. The hardest part will be still having hope at the end of the day. Help me and everyone who grieves to be positive. Amen.
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‘Amen’ to that Carl and a very Good Morning, to you 
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Thanks Carl. My sentiments exactly. Just one good deed, one act of love, a smile can work wonders. Thanks.
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Bless you, Carl.
Today you have warmed the hearts of at least three strangers and I join cw13 and jonathan 123 in thanking you.
Three years on I know that some days are better than others, that hope fluctuates and positivity is sometimes elusive…but, through Grace, hope never really leaves us and grief can become almost a friend.
Take care x
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amelie’sgran, your comments often make me smile and this one is no exception
Yes, grief can become almost a friend. I wake up each day and there it is. Given that I see my grief as a continuation of my love for my husband, a price I pay for the fabulous years we spent together on this earth, I’m ‘almost’ welcoming of it each day. Whilst there’s grief there’s love, why would I be without it. I wouldn’t.
Thank you too for making me smile today. I’m sending you love x
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We are all here because we’re grieving, writing posts and reading the words of others helps us cope.
I always feel there is a selfish element to helping others because it makes us feel better too, but what the heck if it works for everyone!
I posted the prayer because I’d had a bad few days and was determined to be more positive.
I ask God every day to allow me to perform at least one good deed to honour my Rhonda who was a nurse.
To paraphrase John F Kennedy, don’t ask what God can do for you, ask what you can do for God, it seems to work better that way, when we help someone else or say a kind word to them we feel better ourselves.
Yes Carl. Giving and receiving. A two way exchange of love and caring. Caring, kindness, empathy all bring their own reward. You are so right about feeling better if we help another. It’s not selfishness but a natural feeling of having at least done some good in dark days. Unconditional love has no strings attached. If our love or caring is rejected then it’s not our problem. We can only try and do our best.
“Love one another as I have loved you, love one another”. He knew what He was taking about when it came to love.
This is why, in my view, love can never die if it’s that sort of love. It can’t stop, be lost, diminished, dissolved, or got at in any way. It just IS!
Things happen to us humans for which we seem to have no answer. I gave up asking ‘why’ long ago. It can make one bitter and angry because there is no answer as to why things happen.
Acceptance of life as it comes with all its ups and downs and heartaches, together with the good moments, has to be taken as whole. Fastening on to bad times and forgetting the good times is not good. We need a balance.
I’m remembering more good times now although the grief is still very much there. What a privilege it was to have spent so many years with my wife, a kind and loving soul.
Take care everyone.
Thanks Carl. I find I am becoming rather reclusive of late but each day when out with my dogs I make a point of smiling and saying good morning to at least one person. Sometimes its a wave or it turns into a chat. I now have quite a few ‘doggy friends’ This is me trying hard not to become too insular and I find my tears keep away for a while. What do I do with the unpleasant ‘doggy’ people though that are not friendly with unhappy, unsociable dogs. They frustrate me and I wonder what is wrong with them. If I can be bothered to smile with a friendly greeting then what is stopping them.
I too pray to god every day but a bit lost as what to say. I have however heard of a form of meditation where you say a prayer as you walk chanting to your steps. If your mind wonders just as mine seems to do, you re-focus on the words/prayer you have chosen. It’s supposed to bring you peace in time, I do hope so.
Thank you all.
Pat xxxx
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Dear friends, Since my husband was Promoted to Glory 6 months ago, during these 6 months I have tried to support 2 very dear friends who became terminally ill. Both in different counties. Neither had any fear and showed incrrdible courage through their ordeal. This in turn has helped me enormously.
Wednesday I will be at one of my friends funeral.
I have posted this before:
We can make it,
The journey may be long ahead of us,
The light at the end of the tunnel not yet visible but God is here with us.
Place your hand in his and walk forward with him
Unafraid, unhurried and at PEACE.
May you all find strength and peace
Much love xx
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What a lovely phrase Promoted to Glory is and how comforting a thought. Thank you for sharing it with us and for reminding us again that God is here with us…I pray that He will be especially close to you on Wednesday as you say farewell to your friend and that He will watch over all of us and help us help each other. Good night and God bless you x
I am the first to admit I haven’t always been that religious, I’ve had on and off phases with faith throughout my life.
When my sweet Rhonda was in the hospital I went to the chapel at least once a day, prayed and placed prayer requests in the box. I had the chaplain come to her room to pray for a miracle with us.
When she died I was devastated, I wondered if we were being punished.
One stormy night while I was still in Oklahoma I was outside of the house yelling at God raising my arms to the lightning daring him to strike me dead. Fortunately there we had no neighbours who could hear, if I did that here they’d have carted me off to the funny farm.
Surprisingly in spite of the loss and grief my faith has become stronger, I feel comfortable talking to other people about my belief now. When in the depths of despair and depression I’ve been given signs which only my Rhonda would have known, I know with God’s help she’s watching over me.
I am confident that prayer doesn’t need words, those we love who have moved on and God know what is in our hearts wherever we are, we just need to stop for a minute or two and let God listen.
Prayers and good thoughts to everyone, may each day be better than the last.
Hello Carl, when my Brian passed away I lost my faith, a faith that like you had come and gone through my life. But when Brian was first diagnosed in 2008 I began to pray for help and guidance every day. However how could I still pray when I had prayed for years for god to protect Brian even though we knew about the cancer, why had he been allowed to die in such pain. He was a good kind, quiet man, liked by everyone. Brian asked me just before he died ‘what had he done to deserve this’ and where was my god now. I felt we was being ignored. Then I began to think about the ten years that Brian had continued to live. He shouldn’t have had those years and when I decided to go for Natural Therapy and lifestyle, we had nothing to lose as the NHS were doing nothing, I prayed for help and guidance again. Hence we did have ten good extra years together. That, I decided was a blessing, a gift. So gradually I am finding faith again. I too have stood outside our local church as the bells rang out one Sunday morning asking god if he was calling more mugs to his house so that he could ignore their prayers. I was so angry, I hope the Lord understood my pain. Am I now being punished and ask for forgiveness every day. Not that I have been a terribly wicked person but I have been incredibly selfish when younger although Brian always said I was the most caring and unselfish person he knew. Not so sure about that but if that’s how he saw me then I am pleased.
Take care
Pat.
Thank you for keeping me in your heart yesterday. Promoted to Glory is a beautiful way as a Salvationist we acknowledge someone who has passed away.
Sandra’s Day was beautiful, lovely tributes, laughter singing and as per her instructions asking those present to further their commitment to the Lord.
I understand the anger that is directed at God when a loved one dies especially when the ending has been unbearable.
Sometimes the medical profession may not have helped, we keep being told, terminally ill patients do not need to suffer !!
Hold fast to your belief, imagine Christ sitting in a comfy chair in your lounge, talk to Him as you would a friend, tell Him all your anxieties, your fears, your daily needs, your unfulfilled dreams. Then most importantly. Listen
Sometimes just sitting quietly with no distractions and quietening your mind, helps enourmously.
I dont have answers but through life experiences, for me, my faith is important.
I attended a bereavement service at my local church, it was the first ever carried out. I was a little anxious as it was in the very early days of my bereavement. I attended on my own but was looked after by the people who had organised it. The service lasted 35 mins. It really was lovely. Afterwards refreshments were served on beautiful chinaware. People chatted with likeminded people. It was very well attended
They now have a service once a month. Maybe services are held near you.
Take care everyone
God Bless xx
Carl…
…i too am reclusive, no not through choice but my now situation…age of 68, no car, living way out in the sticks miles from transport, bus service, having my PP-MS illness, just a small community of 25 luxury park-homes but very unfriendly, where everyone keeps to themselves…
The one thing i do believe in is that " no two days are ever the same…" My late father was always coming up with these positive idioms that now i have become my father but oh how hard it is staying positive all the time…
Jackie…sending another (( hug )) to you…