“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens…a time to weep, a time to mourn.” Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4

Mourning Time

Thank you for your prayers for my medical checkups and tests. I’m done! The doctors are pleased with how I’m doing. They want me to “hold steady” on the things I’m doing for care and treatment. No changes. Just over a year ago I was in the hospital and almost didn’t make it. So I’m relieved and grateful that my doctors think I’m doing well now. Thank You, Lord!

The last few days have felt a bit like a roller coaster. I was relieved at the good verdict from my doctors. I’m so grateful for the warmer spring days after our cold winter. I’ve had some days with good energy levels, so I’ve been able to accomplish some things. And then—wham! Out of nowhere I had an intense wave of grief hit me! There was nothing to precipitate it, it just hit from one minute to the next.

I’m learning a lot about grief. What happened to me this week is considered “normal.” Grief is unpredictable. There is no right or wrong way to experience and walk through grief. It can hit at any time. It may go away in weeks, months, or years. There’s no set time table. It’s not just about death. There can be grief over the loss of many things in life—marriage, health, job, financial security, friendship, dreams, a home, a beloved pet—the list goes on and on. Any loss in our lives can bring grief.

Grief is not something to be ashamed of. It’s part of life. If we don’t grieve for things we’ve lost, it can actually be destructive. If we’ve lost something significant in our lives, then there will be significant grief. That’s okay. Healing from grief takes time, but with God’s help we’ll get to the other side. There is no typical response to grief because we’re all unique individuals. We just need to walk through it, holding onto God’s comforting hand.

I was thinking this week, as the wave of grief hit me, of the verse “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). Jesus knew He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead, and yet He wept. I think perhaps the significance of that is that He wanted to show us that sorrow needs to be felt. It’s okay—important even. Grief needs to be expressed. As the wave of grief hit me this week, I had to stop and weep, just as Jesus did. I had to allow my heart to feel and experience the grief.

I am sure this will continue to happen. I wish there was a warning bell to alert me that it’s coming, but that doesn’t happen. Thankfully the Lord wraps me in His sweet presence and takes me through it. I loved my gentle giant deeply for over 54 years. I’m now grieving deeply that he is no longer by my side. Each time the wave of grief comes, it brings a bit of healing with it. I’m grateful for that.

I grieve because I lost someone very precious. In the midst of my grief, I can’t help but be thankful for the wonderful life, love, and friendship I had with Floyd. I’m so grateful for all our years together. God has been good to me!

Father, thank You for the special relationships in life. We know they come from Your hand. We trust You to help us through our grief when our time together comes to an end. Amen.