Oh Death where is thy Sting?
My posts may seem a bit on the morbid side right now, but it is the life we live in. Another of D's cousins passed on to glory yesterday and it leaves those of us behind pondering a bit. She left behind a husband and six children, the youngest just a bit older than Logan. That strikes home close.
So we recite that verse: "Oh death where is thy sting, O grave where is thy victory?" And while there's a cynical side of me that say, "Oh there is a sting all right, in reality, for the child of God there isn't. Death is swallowed up in victory. We, who are Christians, know where we're going. We know heaven is waiting. And while there is most assuredly a stinging grief for those left behind, we can have the victor in knowing we will see our loved ones again someday.
Now, I will be the first to admit that this can be a stinging cliche to the family. Death feels so final right now, but..... "There is coming a day when no heartache shall rise, no more clouds in the sky, no more tears to dim the eyes. All is peace forever more on that happy golden shore. What a day, glorious day that will be."
As people you love go to heaven, it does make heaven feel a bit more real, a bit more tangible, if that makes any sense.
But what about me now? I am here on this earth. I am alive. I am healthy. How am I making the best of this life right now? When my good friend died almost three years ago, rash promises were made. I will never be mad at my husband again. I will always be grateful for what he does, etc. etc. And then real life happens and you forget and move on. Then someone else dies and I find myself hating myself for my bad attitudes and struggle to be joyful, knowing that I should be cherishing these moments with my husband instead of fighting against them. And I wonder how? How do I keep my perspective that life is only temporary and I could lose my loved ones at any time? How do I keep that idea without excessive worrying and without fear gripping my heart? I fear and worry too much already.
Right now for my devotions, I am doing a one-month creative journal called 30 days to joy. I think it's going to take me more like 60, but anyway. Can I keep that joy alive? Can I treasure the days that are right here? Does it come back to my current soap box of savoring life? Is that how I keep my perspective? Or is it a daily choice to choose joy? Or is it even deeper than that and it's first of all a daily choice to choose God, to put Him first and foremost and then the rest will fall into place?
Obviously, I have more questions than answers and these few scattered thoughts don't do justice. But if you think of it, lift up the family in prayer. I can't imagine what they are going through.
PS: I don't know that anybody cares, but there will not be a Thursday post due to traveling. In case you didn't know and I don't know how you could have, but I am trying to post Tuesday and Thursday of every week.
So we recite that verse: "Oh death where is thy sting, O grave where is thy victory?" And while there's a cynical side of me that say, "Oh there is a sting all right, in reality, for the child of God there isn't. Death is swallowed up in victory. We, who are Christians, know where we're going. We know heaven is waiting. And while there is most assuredly a stinging grief for those left behind, we can have the victor in knowing we will see our loved ones again someday.
Now, I will be the first to admit that this can be a stinging cliche to the family. Death feels so final right now, but..... "There is coming a day when no heartache shall rise, no more clouds in the sky, no more tears to dim the eyes. All is peace forever more on that happy golden shore. What a day, glorious day that will be."
As people you love go to heaven, it does make heaven feel a bit more real, a bit more tangible, if that makes any sense.
But what about me now? I am here on this earth. I am alive. I am healthy. How am I making the best of this life right now? When my good friend died almost three years ago, rash promises were made. I will never be mad at my husband again. I will always be grateful for what he does, etc. etc. And then real life happens and you forget and move on. Then someone else dies and I find myself hating myself for my bad attitudes and struggle to be joyful, knowing that I should be cherishing these moments with my husband instead of fighting against them. And I wonder how? How do I keep my perspective that life is only temporary and I could lose my loved ones at any time? How do I keep that idea without excessive worrying and without fear gripping my heart? I fear and worry too much already.
Right now for my devotions, I am doing a one-month creative journal called 30 days to joy. I think it's going to take me more like 60, but anyway. Can I keep that joy alive? Can I treasure the days that are right here? Does it come back to my current soap box of savoring life? Is that how I keep my perspective? Or is it a daily choice to choose joy? Or is it even deeper than that and it's first of all a daily choice to choose God, to put Him first and foremost and then the rest will fall into place?
Obviously, I have more questions than answers and these few scattered thoughts don't do justice. But if you think of it, lift up the family in prayer. I can't imagine what they are going through.
PS: I don't know that anybody cares, but there will not be a Thursday post due to traveling. In case you didn't know and I don't know how you could have, but I am trying to post Tuesday and Thursday of every week.
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