Hope for a Widow’s Heart on Valentine’s Day (Write the Word)
It's February. All around social media, I've been seeing comments like, "the month of love." During the first few days of this month, I kept seeing people posting about their Write the Word plans for...
View ArticleThat Time I Accidentally Anointed Myself with Joy
We were coming up on the one year anniversary of Vince's terminal brain cancer diagnosis. Last week had been a hard, sad week, and this week promised more of the same. Too many memories. Too much...
View ArticleGrace in Grieving at Easter
Easter is one of my favorite holidays. For me, it's the pinnacle of celebrating the gift of Salvation that the Father so freely offers us– even though we do not deserve such extravagant forgiveness. I...
View ArticleWedding Anniversary Without Him
It seems that the new normals just won't stay long. They are ever interrupted by marks in time, which inevitably set off another storm surge that rocks our houseboat and leaves us scrambling to look to...
View ArticleCast Down
I woke with a painful, aching lower back. Of course, I knew exactly why. Seven weeks before, I had major abdominal surgery that saved my life… and made me look like I was involved in a tragic mistake...
View ArticleHow to Act Around a Widow (or Widower)
"Oh my. It's hard to know how to act around a widow." Her words surprised me. I wasn't offended, and it didn't seem like an insensitive thing to say. It simply had never occurred to me that anyone...
View ArticleWhat to Say to a Grieving Friend
Humans are empathetic beings. We feel sadness for a grieving friend. When friend is experiencing sadness and grief due to the death of someone they love dearly, we often want to say something that...
View ArticleLeaning in to Grief
"You are handling your grief amazingly." "You're doing so well." "I'm so impressed with how well you're grieving." Really? How do you know how I'm grieving? I'm alone in my grief. Even my children...
View ArticleLife Goes on Around You
It's normal, but it still surprises you. After several weeks, you're still stuck in the throes of grief while life goes on around you. People still go to work. They go to parties. People still laugh,...
View ArticleGrief at Christmas
Christmas should be a joyful time, but sometimes grief at Christmas makes our holiday celebrations difficult or impossible. Is this normal? This is our third Christmas without Vince. My mind says it...
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