my own thoughts on loss, grief, & bereavement
As part of my healing, I have found it helpful to journal my thoughts and feelings as much as I can, and I would like to share some with you. Although I'm not posting every entry, I will share aspects of myself, things that I'm struggling with and parts that I'm just beginning to learn from. I don't claim to be an expert on any subject or have any profound insights; they're just random thoughts of what I'm feeling and thinking during a specific phase of my life. That's why each entry is dated. If you can sift through my own "mess," I pray you might find something to encourage you and even offer you some comfort. Because these are a little lengthy, you may find it easier to read by printing each document.To view the documents, you will need a PDF reader.
Grief drives men into habits of serious reflection, sharpens the understanding and softens the heart. - John Adams Letter to Thomas Jefferson
| Title | Date | Summary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helping Those Who Grieve | 7/3/06 | How do we reach out to those who have lost a loved one? Here are some practical suggestions we can all use in such situations. |  |
| Time Spent, Time Lost, Time Eternal | 5/23/06 | Three phases of time in relation to those who passed on. | |
| You Would Be There | 1/03/06) | When you question if God is really there for you. | |
| Finding Joy Once again | 11/27/05) | Can we find joy once again after losing a loved one? | |
| Your Rearview Mirror | 10/16/05 | Finding the balance between looking back and moving forward with our lives. | |
| Making Me | 7/26/05 | Understanding the process we go through after we lose a loved one. | |
| The Story Behind the Story | 5/6/05 | Learning to intentionally listen to people, showing them we care. | |
| Inside Out | 3/23/05 | Our character is shaped by small decisions and will determine our future. | |
| Little By Little | 2/16/05 | Healing takes time. Take time for you. Give your yourself the grace to heal. | |
| Because of You | 1/22/05 | An eternal perspective of gratitude: recognizing my father's impact. | |
| Bold Request | 10/26/04 | A specific request for when I arrive in heaven. | |
| Faithful Father | 9/16/04 | Faithfulness: something rarely seen these days. I observed it for 33 years. | |
| Insights Learned Thus Far | 9/3/04 | After 1 year, here are some insights I've gleaned. | |
| The Walk | 8/21/04 | Seeing the needs of others, recognizing their struggles and pain. | |
| Well-Earned Hyphen | 8/18/04 | Although my dad's life was brief, he made a significant impact. | |
| It's Really True | 6/12/04 | The day I first heard my dad had cancer. | |
| Remember | 3/20/04 | The profound memories I have with my father now brings me healing. | |
| The Gift | 12/25/03 | As my father was a gift to me, I'm called to be a gift to others. | |
| Empty Chair | 11/26/03 | Seeing the empty dinner chair as a metaphor of the emptiness felt within my heart. | |
| Something About Your Presence | 10/3/03 | Even with my father's demanding schedule, he was always there for me. | |
| Made My Life | 9/13/03 | I am here today because of the sacrifices my parents made. | |
| Horizontal Love | 8/4/03 | A life calling to authentically love people | |
| Life Spent Well | 7/25/03 | With his short time on earth, my dad wisely "spent" his life making investments in people. | |