Me and J
Recent Comments
Griefs Abyss | From… on The Abyss of Grief Vanna on The Dream… Priscilla McInville on The Dream… The Dream | From Nig… on The Dream… The Dream | From Nig… on The Dream…
My Baby Would Have Been 22 years old today
Anticipating The Future
Today would have been my baby’s 22nd birthday. It’s natural to wonder…what would he have been doing today? Would his hair be long or short? What career move would he be making right now? Which of his friends would he be counseling today? Would he like this picture of me wearing the shorts that he bought me for my birthday?
Life can sometimes seem like a maze; a myriad of pathways . Some paths lead you to brick walls where you find yourself more confused than you were in the beginning. Some paths lead to other paths. Ultimately, there’s the path that leads to peace in the midst of turbulence…peace in the midst of cyclonic disturbances such as a job loss, a health challenge or an untimely death.
Many people find themselves asking, How do I find the path that leads to peace? My response is, here’s what works for me.
- Surrounding myself with positive people
- Focusing more on the happy times
- Using the power of my words: Vanessa you are an over-comer; you are resilient; your life has purpose
- Trusting God daily to walk with me through the challenges of life and carry me when necessary.
The actual earthy birthdays for Justin have ended. It’s the new beginning that 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 addresses that I’m looking forward to: For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
I am encouraged to stay focused on Christ and be ready to take my place in this stellar event in the sky! So, I’m not saying good bye to Justin but …sleep well…until then.
Posted in despair, despondent, Grief, Grief, hope, never give up, hope, Hopeless, Hopeless, hopelessness, despondent, destiny, god of angel armies, hopelessness, never give up, never give up, hope, grief, despair, moving on, Uncategorized
Tagged child, despair, encouragement, God, Grief, Grief Loss and Bereavement, Mental Health, moving on, Support group
3 Comments
Morning Light
It’s been a long time since I’ve written on this blog. As I look at the date of the last entry, WOW, it’s been almost a year.
Once I begin writing again, the experience feels like I never left. The words and memories come flooding back to me. So, it looks and feel just as it did…a year ago. Nothing in the experience of writing on this blog has changed for me….except the time that has lapsed.
WOW…For those who sleep in Christ, this is how it will be BUT BETTER. You go into a dreamless sleep and wake up to see the face of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! In 1 Thessalonians 4: 16, 17, Paul tells us what will happen on that GREAT Day. “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a SHOUT, with the voice of the archangel, and with the TRUMP of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first; Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord. It will be like waking up more refreshed than we’ve EVER been before in that Great Gettin’ Up Morning! Praise The Lord! Let’s anticipate and be ready!
For those who are local, I will be sharing a portion of my journey on the radio this morning at 10:30 on station 105.1. Tune in!
Posted in Uncategorized
Leave a comment
Death…the enemy
Today is a beautiful day. The sun is shining…it’s 75 degrees…purrr-fect! Then I get to work and before I enter the building, the news is received…a co-worker was killed in a motorcycle accident. Instantly, my heart sinks. I say…What? I can’t believe that! As soon as the words are spoken, immediately another thought comes which says, I ‘can’ believe. It happened with my son….my baby; suddenly…without warning. Death happens all of the time but neither the surprise nor the sting ever goes away. I look forward to the day when death will be swallowed up in victory.
Paul couldn’t have said it any better than he did in 1 Corinthians 15:55-58:
“Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”i
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
Let’s be faithful and choose to live for Jesus everyday.
Posted in despair, despondent, destiny, Grief, Grief, hope, never give up, hope, Hopeless, Hopeless, hopelessness, despondent, destiny, god of angel armies, hopelessness, moving on, never give up, never give up, hope, grief, despair, moving on, Uncategorized
Tagged child, despair, encouragement, God, Grief, Grief Loss and Bereavement, Mental Health, Support group
Leave a comment
Understanding Will Never Bring You Peace
Sometimes I’ve felt like if I could just understand WHY, I would be so much better. Why did this have to happen? Why did that happen? Why couldn’t things have been different? Why now? Why him? If I just knew….why. it may be the loss of a child or other loved one. it may be the loss of a job; a relationship; finances.
I was reading my devotional the other morning and it was truly enlightening and i’d like to share it with you. Hopefully you will find it helpful as well.
Understanding will never bring you Peace. That’s why I have instructed you to trust in Me and not in your understanding Human beings have a voracious appetite for trying to figure things out, in order to gain a sense of mastery over their lives. But the world presents you with an endless series of problems, As soon as you master one set, another pops up to challenge you. the relief you had anticipated is short-lived. Soon you mind is gearing up again; searching for understanding (mastery) , instead of seeming Me (your Master). (Excerpt from Jesus Calling)
It’s so important not to stare too long at the closed door .Death, hurt and pain come because of sin; because of Satan, the evil one. Allow yourself to grief the loss, Know that God is with you and that He loves you. Trust that He has a plan for your life and allow Him to move you forward; one step at a time.
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10
Posted in despair, despondent, destiny, god of angel armies, Grief, hope, Hopeless, hopelessness, moving on, never give up, Uncategorized
1 Comment
Today would have been my baby’s 21 birthday…
Where does the time go? It’s been 2 years and 4 months since Justin…went to sleep. He is …away and so greatly missed…never forgotten. I’m thinking back to the last birthday that we celebrated. He loved gymnastics so I had this cake made for him.
He was 18 and we went to North Carolina for the weekend. Here he was blowing out the candles on a cake that a special friend made for him.
These are a few pictures taken during various years in or around Justin’s birthday.
I’m including this one just because it’s one of my favorite. It was taken in May 2011
Anticipation is important. Justin was living and anticipating an even deeper life in Christ while also being passionate about his earthly life. There are many things that I’m anticipating. Some of those include… seeing Justin again and other loved ones, being in heaven someday along with family, friends and a host of others! Anticipation is one of the spices of life. Let’s be sure to anticipate something everyday and ultimately a more personal relationship with Christ. Our actions will follow whatever we truly anticipate.
Away…..but never forgotten
…and He (God) will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged child, despair, encouragement, fear, God, Grief, Grief Loss and Bereavement, hope, Mental Health, moving on, Support group
2 Comments
The Saw
Grief is a peculiar animal that seemingly has a mind of its own. A few moments ago I was thinking about how my emotions go back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. It reminds me of the motions that one would use with a hand saw. Let me share what I mean:
Handsaw:Use a 3 finger grip for better control
Grief:Use a 3 finger grip for better control: Hold on to God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit
Handsaw:Keep it light; pushing too hard is counterproductive
Grief: Keep it light; pushing too hard is counterproductive: some days you feel like crying; some days you want to reminisce and laugh about certain memories; other days you may not know how you feel or what you want to do. Guess what? I’ve learned that it’s okay! Just keep moving forward at your own customized pace.
Handsaw:Vary your strokes for a clean finish
Grief:Vary your strokes for a clean finish. The Holy Spirit may impress you to speak to a friend or even a stranger; you may be impressed to talk to a counselor or a pastor; you may be impressed to write about your emotions which can be freeing. The important thing is that you keep moving forward and at your own pace for a clean finish.
“The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”’ Numbers 6:26
Posted in Uncategorized
1 Comment
From Nightfall to Morning Light 