One year ago today, my husband lost his father and I lost a best friend.
He was content. He was simple. He was caring. He loved to watch and talk about sports. He would visit us from Montana twice a year for two weeks at a time. He would tag-along wherever I went simply to be involved in our lives. He would nap when the boys napped. He would sneak candy and real Coke when he thought no one was looking. When he was away, he would call regularly just to check in. He was slow which caused me slow down...
His favorite restaurants remind me of him. His favorite foods remind me of him. His favorite sports teams remind me of him. And, as funny as it may be, making my bed reminds me of him. If he did it every day, surely I can too! #goals
Scars of Testimony
Later last year, we lost our dog, Unkas, as well. We all worked through the emotions of these two holes in our lives. I remember thinking "What will God do with these empty place of loss?" Recently, it came to me...He will heal the wound with His love leaving a scar of hope that I can hold on to, remember, and share. Hope of refreshing, replenishing, reviving, and renewing. If He did it for me once, He will be faithful to do it again and again.
In remembering his father this week, my husband wrote this:
"Thursday will be one year since I was waiting on Kyle to start the member guest and I got the call from my brother, what a difficult time - without Colby being there with me, I would not have made it through those first couple days. But now, I wanted to give praise to God. It’s as if God said a week after Unkas died, “Son, I love you! You have mourned and hurt enough believe what you said you believed when you accepted me as your savior, I am your comforter, I will protect you and heaven is perfect and your dad and your dog are here enjoying themselves, they miss you and someday when is time you will be with them here!
God has delivered me for now from the pain of mourning. He has also delivered me from other things He knew weren't good in my life and through His Spirit, he has softened a heart that used to be so hard only Colby and CJ were allowed.
Thank you God for your Grace, I don’t deserve your blessings but accept them with open arms."
I'm reminded of the song, Overcome by Jeremy Camp referencing Revelation 12:11. It says, "We will overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony, everyone overcome." Share the words of your testimony, show the scars from your wounds. You never know who it may help. Don't let the pain you went through be wasted. Use it to help someone else as Christ helps us figure out this life we have here on earth.
See you on the other side, Richard!
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| Grandpa and CJ |
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| Grandpa and Colby |
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| Grandpa and Noah |
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| Grandpa and Cooper |
For instance, we know that when these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven—God-made, not handmade—and we’ll never have to relocate our “tents” again. Sometimes we can hardly wait to move—and so we cry out in frustration. Compared to what’s coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we’re tired of it! We’ve been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies! The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what’s ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we’ll never settle for less.
2 Corinthians 5:1-5 (MSG)
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)
