Between a Rock and a Hard Place
We are studying Genesis at church and when I get to the place where Jacob is fleeing for his life after stealing Esau’s birthright and blessing, I am always reminded of the worst night of my life – 11/5/10 when Jim left earth for heaven and I had my own dark night of the soul.…
Using the W word
I am thinking about the day we celebrated Jim in a memorial service on this date in 2010. We had music, balloons, laffy taffy, people from every part of his life and more. It was a “good” day. He was worth celebrating and remembering. I hate the term widow. I don’t know why, but I…
Jim’s Birthday
Not a day goes by that I don’t think about Jim; he is tattooed onto my soul with indelible ink. I remember things about him that I admired, his wisdom and thoughtfulness, his quick wit, the soft kiss at the start and end of each day. He never left the house without a magic trick…
Loss
Eleven years ago today, my husband of 30 years, my best friend, the father of my children and a very creative minister left this life for a better one. Over the years he has continued to impact lives for the better by the memories shared of him and I continue to count it a privilege…
Forty One
Dear Jim, Today marks the day we said, “I do”. Forty-One. It was a long time ago, …but not really. I have remembered that day for 11 years without you,… but not really. You continue to find me in my dreams. You continue to show up in my daily speech. You smile at me from…
Waves of Grace
Jim. Today I miss you. I could write this every day since you left earth. But today it hurts. Some days are like that – when the reality that half of me is still missing and the phantom pain is more noticeable than before. I am not sure why it is today – it isn’t…
Seeing in the Dark
I will admit that I used to be afraid of the dark. I wasn’t afraid in my room under the covers with the lights out but I was often spooked in a dark hall or walking home from a babysitting job late; it was really a combination of the eerie quiet, reading too many Nancy…
10 years ago (3,653 days)
It was early in the morning and I had gotten up off the sofa next to the hospital bed to get ready for work. Steve Shepherd was coming over to be with Jim and the kids were getting ready for school. Jim’s breathing was labored, waking me up several times that night. At the time,…
Words by Wil Triggs
I’ve been asked to give a testimony to our men’s Bible study. We’ve been doing Wayne Grudem’s systematic theology, a chapter or two at a time, and then they ask someone from the group to give a testimony. This week they asked me and the chapter is death and the intermediate state. It’s Wednesday night.…
Easier?!
Sometimes I am asked by others on the grief journey if it ever gets easier. I am not sure, even after 9 years, how to answer that question. I usually respond my rote response; “It never gets harder.” I guess that is because I am not sure if “easier” will ever happen and I am…