Reminders

A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. Proverbs 25:15. NIV

My patio greenhouse brought endless memories. Friends from a long ago trip brought the flowering pink desert rose. Vibrant amaryllis, descended from a neighbor’s garden over twenty-five years ago, waved. Wandering Jew, clipped from a friend’s family legacy plant, cascaded from two pots. 

Ten orchid plants congregated on a table in the corner.  One plant was given to me as a welcome to the neighborhood at our previous home. A second plant came the day after my dad died along with a sympathetic hug. After moving to our new home, I divided my five plants into ten pots multiplying the beauty.

Four decorative planters held flourishing greenery from family and friends to comfort me after the death’s of my dad, Alan, and my mom. Peeking in from outside the screen, white and pink roses added color from memorial bushes for Alan.

Each gift had been precious, but I had never imagined the gathering of friends and family on my patio. Each morning when I meet God, they join me on the patio. When I sit at dusk and marvel at the beauty of the pink sky and serene lake, I am not alone. I remember their love and compassion. 

Every day I sense God’s constant presence. A delicate flower. A towering tree. A rippling lake. Joyful bird songs. Brilliant blue sky. Threatening clouds. All reminders that He cares and is near.

In our technology crazed world, relationships can suffer. Text messages, emails, and Facebook can be convenient and time saving. However, they shouldn’t replace one on one conversations, eye contact, and heart felt hugs. Cards and flowers send love.

I nurture my relationship with God by studying the Bible, reading devotionals, and conversing in prayer. I am also attempting to nurture human relationships through visits, conversations, and hand written notes. 

Dear Lord, help me to nurture special relationships. Thank you for those who have surrounded me with love and kindness. Amen

There is Sunshine in the Grief

May the grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, surround you. He is the Father of Compassion, the God of all comfort. He consoles us as we endure the pain and hardship of life so that we may draw from His comfort and share it with others in their own struggles. 2 Corinthians 1: 2-4  The Voice

Days of sorting through vintage pictures, looking at old slides, viewing albums with wrinkled photos. Discovering family history from newspaper clippings, obituaries, and letters. 

Surprises in the findings. I laughed and cried. Closed in my house with the memories brought back the grief. 

Obituaries testified to many losses. Grandparents, uncles, aunts, a cousin. All left behind grieving loved ones. I felt regret. Until I faced my own grief, I never knew the extent of theirs. I didn’t do enough to comfort those left behind.  

To get away from the sadness, I left home to visit a new friend who just entered hospice care. In her room, grief overcame me again. Memories of my parents in hospital beds. Alan with oxygen. Their frailty matched hers.

Even in her weakened state, she hugged me and comforted me. What a blessing she was.

At home on my patio, I watched the sky dim. Gentle rain peppered the lake. My tears joined the flow. 

For days, I had stopped them to mask my grief. But built up emotions overflowed. At dusk, they came freely. 

The mirrored lake quieted me. Surprise beams of sunlight glowed on the landscape across the water. A rainbow arch crowned the trees. Cardinals whistled. Frogs croaked. 

God’s presence wrapped my grieving heart. In my sadness, He provided a touch of healing light. 

Father, thank you for providing a hug and kind words through your people. Your creation offers comfort and healing. Amen

Revelations from My Trip

God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 1 Corinthians 1: 3-4  NLT

What contrasts in my trip to Indiana and coming back to Florida. From endless green corn and bean fields to my lake nestled among the trees. Cool, pleasant days and then heat, humidity, and storms. Watching red breasted robins, tiny wrens, and red winged blackbirds to seeing great herons, wild turkeys, and anhingas. 

Reminders of a carefree childhood. Pondering an uncertain future alone. Houses full of family members talking, laughing and playing. A silent home with one. 

At the Orlando airport before boarding, sadness gripped me and tried to throw me into despair. Tears came as I remembered millions of times Alan and I waited for flights which took us around the world.  Sitting alone in the midst of hundreds of travelers flooded me with memories. Reading the Sunday paper and munching on fast food pushed the heartache away. It would not board the plane with me!

After arriving in the Hoosier state, sadness peeked in and rushed away. Being with loving, happy family members comforted me. Meals together. Trips to the county fair. Enjoying the excitement of children. Joining in their exuberance. There was little room for sadness or loneliness. 

Over and over I thought of times with my parents when I was growing up. I wanted them and Alan to be there with me. The first trip to Indiana without them brought anticipation of sorrow. The actual trip brought only brief periods of grief. 

The trip was tonic for my grieving heart. Special childhood memories crowded my mind. Family dinners. Holiday meals. Fun at the lake cottage. Frequent gatherings. I longed for the simpler, easier life I had as a child. 

I discovered that life is gone. Most families no longer live within minutes of each other. States separate many. Outside activities fill lives. Gatherings are infrequent. That bubble burst. 

Everyone I met in Indiana faced changes too. Most aunts and uncles have departed. Cousins have aged and deal with health issues. Their children have grown up and are raising families. Whether in Indiana or Florida, people adapted. 

After months of being alone, new routines have replaced old ones. Gradually, adjustments have come. My trip reminded me that over the years little has remained exactly the same. 

I am thankful for my haven in Florida where I can relax and savor God’s creations. I am blessed to be able to travel and connect with family and friends. 

My childhood life vanished. I can’t go back but can reflect on the past and embrace the future.

Heavenly Father, thank you for special memories, loving family and friends, and the encouragement to go on. Amen