Character Reference

If someone were to give you a character reference, what would it include? 

Take a look at Colossians 1:7-8 and 4:12 to see what the Apostle Paul had to say about Epaphras:

Paul calls Epaphras

• “Beloved.” He was precious, admired, treasured, cared about, respected…

• Bond servant. He was a person who was willing to perform a service because of his love for his master.

• Faithful. Epaphras could always be counted on.

• Encourager. Epaphras would tell another, “You can do this, by God’s grace.”

• Prayer warrior. He took prayer seriously and earnestly.

• Caring. He saw others’ needs, put them above his own and attended to them.

Perhaps you’re like me – you would like to latch onto those character qualities for your own life. How can we do that? The answer lies in Romans 12:1-2 and I Corinthians 6:19-20. Read them – and then let God rule!

Let Your Voice Catch Up

Acts 4:14 “And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply."

We were waiting to see how God would provide the finances to purchase the property in Akron for the H*VMI Ministry, including BASIS! The price seemed so high and our ministry income so small; and yet we believed the Lord could and would provide. Two large matching gifts had already come in and many supporters had given sacrificially. Still it wasn't enough to meet the need. Then it happened. I opened an envelope that had just come in the daily mail. I pulled out a check for $ 300,000 from an unknown contributor. It was more than what we needed. I was speechless except to thank the Lord with tears coming down my face for yet another miracle. Have you ever been "speechless" because of an unexpected answer to prayer? Or maybe it was a sunset God painted in the sky, or a hug needed at just the right time. They're all gifts from a loving, caring heavenly Father. Stand, better yet kneel in humility and praise from your heart and then let your voice catch up.

Taste and See

Psalm 34:8 "O taste and see that the Lord is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!"

It's a hot day. You look at the list of ice cream flavors on the menu board. There's a new flavor. It's just too appealing to pass up. One sample lick and any resolve you have to avoid temptation is gone. You have to have more ......like the whole container!

That, I believe, is what David is expressing for himself and for each of us. You're in a dilemma. You're exhausted, discouraged and "at the end of your rope." You cry for relief - for hope.

David writes, " taste and see."

Go to God. He's the only refuge in time of need. Let Him speak to your heart through His Word. See that He is the One Who can quench the dryness of a hurting heart. That one taste can bring on "swallows," maybe even "gulps," of amazing grace. Your thirst will be quenched and you will find yourself ushered into the entire ice cream factory of peace, strength and contentment.

Inspiration From The Change Of Seasons

This is the time of year that leaves change, signaling a change of seasons. The leaves change color, often in spectacular ways, before they die. As the leaves fall, they also signal that another season is coming, a season of cold weather, barren landscapes and storms.

I was thinking about this in relation to the death of our daughter, Crystal. As her life fell, we anticipated a cold, barren and stormy season ahead. It did happen. But just as the barrenness of the coming season will sometimes be temporarily suspended by the beauty of a snowfall, so too, the season following the death of our daughter is temporarily suspended, at times, through unexpected blessings. The blessings don’t wipe out the darkness of our loss; but they do cover over the shadow of pain and grief with times of joy and comfort.

Just as the barren season of winter is followed by a season in which new life springs forward, our experience has been that our own season of grief and sorrow is followed by new life springing forward. And we know that any new season of grief that might come again will never lead to total barrenness. Jesus demonstrated that when He burst out of the tomb with new life. He told us, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.”  John 11:25.

I am so glad for that promise of resurrection, and that one day we will be reunited with our daughter again eternally! I am also glad, “because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” Hebrews 13:5 No matter how cold, barren and stormy life becomes, we are not alone. Just before Jesus ascended back to heaven He left these parting words, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

Stuart Hamblen captured my hope in spite of my grief:

My heart can sing when I pause to remember
A heartache here is but a stepping stone
Along a path that's winding always upward;
This troubled world is not my final home.
But until then my heart will go on singing.
Until then with joy I'll carry on,
Until the day my eyes behold my Savior
Until the day God calls me home.

Processing Our Grief

I believe Joni Eareckson Tada concluded that she was actually thankful for the accident that left her paralyzed because it helped to develop her close relationship to God! That doesn’t mean that I need to struggle to come to a place of being thankful for the death of our daughter, Crystal. God says IN everything give thanks – but He doesn’t tell us we need to be thankful FOR everything. 

God HAS brought some good out of Crystal’s death. He promises to bring good out of the worst of circumstances. However, for me and my family, I would have a difficult time saying that it has been a good thing for our daughter to die at age 36.

We each process and handle grief differently. I have come to the conclusion that there is no right or wrong way to grieve. With that said, I think we can learn from each other in our grief journey just as I have been inspired by Joni’s remarkable story and ministry.

Bereaved parents do experience similar emotions and pain so, as bereaved parents, we can find that it helps in our grief journey when we connect with other grieving parents. Circumstances may be different but a definite bond exists among us. It is certainly not the group we would have chosen for ourselves; but, since we now are part of that group, we can find ourselves blessed when other grieving parents reach out to us. We also are blessed when we reach out to others.

This is not a mutual “pity party” but the sharing with others who are going through similar experiences.

Again, I am reminded of the Scripture: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” II Corinthians 1:3-4.

I pray that sorrow and pain in your journey of grief may be eased by walking with other grieving parents in their journey. Through God’s love and strength we can be a blessing to each other, even in the darkest times of our lives.

Get It All Together

Really?

My sister gave me a plaque a few years ago:

“I finally got it all together and forgot where I put it."

We probably all know people who project that they “have it all together." They just seem to have things under control in their lives, even through difficult times. Some people do handle issues of life on more of an even keel than others, or at least it appears so. However, I don’t believe anyone really has “it all together." I guess I am not sure what it means to “have it all together."

When we have experienced the death of a child and we are on our journey of grief there are well meaning people who will have expectations that after a certain period of time we should be handling it better. We should be getting it together again, as if we ever had it all together.

This journey of grief is a new journey for us, and it is like no other journey of life. It is also an unending journey, a journey we never complete in this life.

God does not expect us bereaved parents to get it all together again after a year or two or ten… . Although God does not step in to help us “get over” loss, or finish the grief, He does promise: "When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! … For I am the Lord your God, your Savior."  Isaiah 43: 2-3a

Trusting In The Lord

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5

December 28th was to be the first day I would see and hold my daughter, Lindsey, after nine months of her living within me. But those were not God’s thoughts. Instead of entering the world to be held, loved and nurtured by her mom and dad, she was taken into the loving, nurturing arms of her precious Savior, Jesus Christ.

It was at this time, more than any other in my life, that I realized the truth of the above verses—that God’s thoughts are not my thoughts and that I cannot lean on my own understanding. I cannot understand why Lindsey had to die. I cannot understand, and it is too painful to let myself ask “why.” I cannot discover a single reason that could justify my baby’s death. Any possible “reasons” make God look terribly cruel. BUT—I know He isn’t. I believe the promises that God gives to me—the ones that seem good to me and the ones that seem not-so-good. I know and believe God loves me so much that he willingly, sacrificially experienced what I have—the death of His child.

Psalm 37:4 tells us, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” This is one of those “good” promises and I know that God has His best plan for me. I also know that I may not always understand or agree with His ways, but I can delight in Him and trust Him for the fulfillment of His desires for my life.

Sandy Robinson

Lindsey, stillborn

Another New Year

Happy New Year! What is a new year? What is new about it? It is new in the sense of the calendar; but in a very real sense it is just a continuation of the past year. In our lives, we may start a new year of life; but it is not a new life, just a continuation of the current life. Yet, the new year will bring new things into our life. Our life will be different than it was; so in that sense it will be new.

Everything does not start over with the start of a new year. We bring the same problems, the same memories, the same hurts and pains as our journey continues in a new year.

What does this mean to a grieving parent? We can’t disconnect ourselves from the past. We can’t just put all the hurts and painful experiences behind us and only carry with us the joys into the new year. Life cannot be separated so easily.

When we have experienced the loss of a child we don’t want to forget our child. We would like to keep the precious memories and forget the painful ones; but that is not so easily done, nor is it necessarily the healthy thing to do. We don’t need to focus on the painful memories; but the depth of the pain we feel in the loss of a child also reflects the depth of the love for our child. In another blog I wrote that I wished my daughter had not died; but since she had, I was glad the pain of her loss was so great inside me because it reflected the strong love I shared with my precious daughter.

Life will never be the same as it was in the past. The Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, said, “You can’t step into the same river twice.” Life goes on. That can be a great challenge to a grieving parent. How do I go on without my child? The sense of loss can be overwhelming, especially in the early days, weeks and months of our grief.

In this new year, as we grieve the loss of our child, we will also remember and be grateful for the blessings and joys of the past. We will live each day as a gift from God and focus on those who are still part of our lives. We will not take for granted the time we have with our loved ones, and we will not forget our deceased child. With God’s help and support of family and friends we can and will do both.

My prayer is that you will experience God’s comfort and strength for each new day in this new year.

The Comfort of the Christmas Bells

“Bells are typically rung to announce a major life event or occasion. They are rung on both joyous and sad occasions including both weddings and funerals. Bells are rung at Christmas to announce and celebrate the birth of Jesus.” (www.christmaslore.com/the_history_of_christmas_bells.html)

As we think about our grief journeys and the ringing of bells, let’s not forget that along with proclaiming His coming, Christmas bells also reflect the peace and comfort we can experience because of His arrival. Luke 2:13-14 says, “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.’”

Jesus brings us unusual peace. In John 14:27 and 16:33 He says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Jesus brings us extraordinary comfort. In John 14:1-4 He says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you may also be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

1. What peace and comfort has His coming brought to you as you walk your journey of grief?
2. What will you and your family do this Christmas to commemorate Jesus’ birth and the memory of your child?

Although the season and Christmas Day can be especially difficult for grieving parents, we at BASIS wish you a blessed Christmas as you experience God walking with you personally in your journey of grief.

Walking With Others As God Walks With Us

This past month Handi*Vangelism Ministries International had settlement on a property on which they plan to build facilities for their various ministries. As Director of BASIS, one of those ministries, I was excited to be part of the dedication of the property a few days ago. Looking out over the property, I tried to visualize the new facilities that were shown on the plot plan. I expect one day to see those facilities being used to carry out even more of God’s ministry of compassion through dedicated believers whom He has called and gifted to be His hands and feet and heart to hurting people.

Surely God has performed a miracle in making it possible for H*VMI to purchase the property, completely paid for from donations. Plans are that we could break ground for new buildings next Fall. Among other programs, these new facilities will enable BASIS to expand its ministry to bereaved parents. The new facilities most certainly will not eradicate their grief, but it will enable us to more effectively walk alongside parents who grieve the loss of their children.

As Director of BASIS and a bereaved parent myself, I have experienced God’s blessing and comfort firsthand through His Holy Spirit and through His holy servants. I’m so thankful for that. I have also marveled again and again at how God works in the biggest hurts of our own lives to enable us to become instruments of compassion to other similarly hurting parents. And, I’ve found that doing that for others also ministers to us. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”  II Corinthians 1:3-4

The death of our daughter, Crystal, over twelve years ago, still hurts. If I could have prevented it, I certainly would have. Our daughter did not die so God could use me to minister to other grieving parents; but since our daughter got leukemia and died, God has not allowed her death to have the last word, not now and certainly not in the future. Ministering to others who hurt is one of those ways I can at least muffle the agonizing cry of death.

As we look to God to allow our own pain to be His instrument of comfort to others, we have a powerful message to share:

God created a paradise, but sin entered it; and as a result, death also entered our world. But even from the beginning, God had a plan of redemption through His Son, Jesus. So, the Apostle Paul could write, “Where, O death is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” I Corinthians 15:55-58

Yes, it’s true that sin brought death and it comes to us all; some sooner in life than others. Sometimes God heals and protects us from tragedy and He alone knows why He allows some tragedies and intervenes in others. I don’t pretend to know “why?” But I do believe “in all things God works for the good of those who love Him...” Romans 8:28

So, even if God preforms healing it is only temporary. As far as I know, Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead, is not still living here today. None of us are going to get through life alive unless we are living when Jesus returns. Knowing this, Jesus promised His followers, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

In addition to this good news, the last book of the Bible declares, “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’” Revelation 21:3-4

I am comforted in my own grief when I share this profound message of hope with others who grieve. I pray that this will be your experience as well.

We don’t have to walk the grief journey alone.

Self-Care Versus Selfish

Sometimes people confuse self-care with being selfish. The two are not synonymous. When we are selfish we put ourselves first above everyone else. When we care for ourselves, we are meeting necessary needs.

Self-care is an important component of life. God has created us body, soul, and spirit.

Look for ways to feed your soul. I’ve heard many bereaved parents say that attending church is hard; yet you do need the Christian fellowship. How can you tweak things a bit to make it more comfortable for yourself? Maybe you can sit with a friend or another family who understands your grief. If you find conversations difficult, you can arrive a little late and slip out a little early. If you truly cannot attend church, the Psalms is a great book to meditate on when your emotions are raw. Or, you might choose a brief daily devotional book with Scripture that speaks to your soul. BASIS keeps extra copies of such books available to those who come to our support group meetings.

Take care of your body. Get sufficient sleep (I know it can seem fleeting) and plan for brief rest periods when you feel your energy drained. Eat and drink in healthy ways. If you don’t have a good appetite, smaller more frequent meals may help. If you find yourself over-eating, eat foods that are nutritious and low in calories. Drink healthy fluids. Set aside time to get regular exercise. Body movement is proven to reduce depression and anxiety. Do not crowd your schedule; rather lighten it up by looking at your priorities. Decide what you need to step away from during this time of deep sorrow.

Renew your spirit.  What refreshes and restores you? For many people it is being in God’s creation. Take a trip to the seashore if you live nearby; or is it the mountains and fall foliage; a walk in a park? Journaling is helpful to others. Sit down with a notebook and start writing whatever comes to your mind. If you keep this journal, you will be able to look back months and years later and see your progress. God commanded the people of the Old Testament to create “stones of remembrance.” Your journal can be like a stone of remembrance, signifying times when God meets you in your time of need. Creative activities like sewing, painting, pottery making, stamping, or memory albums and books might bring you solace.

God cares about every part of you – your soul, body and spirit. He can make provision to see that you have all the resources you need to care for each.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28 NIV

“Life Goes On” vs “Get Over It”

We had our annual BASIS Picnic this past weekend. I suppose some outsiders might say that it’s time we bereaved parents “get over it” (our loss) and get back to carrying on with our lives. Others might wonder how grieving parents can enjoy a picnic that exemplifies fun and enjoyment.

If anyone looked in at our picnic from the outside, I believe they could have understood the false premise of either of the above two observations. Dealing with our own deep grief is difficult in itself, and misguided analysis of how we are dealing with our grief is frustrating and hurtful. However, we must not let others determine how we grieve. We also must not let such misguided attitudes determine our attitude toward those who can’t understand or grasp the magnitude of our grief.

As Director of BASIS, I was pleased to see the interaction of parents at the picnic. There was a lot of laughter and fun and enjoyment. There was also exchange of comfort and caring and even some tears. All were appropriate and helpful.

Any bereaved parent will tell you that they never “get over it;” but we understand that indeed “life goes on.” However, bereaved parents also are painfully aware that “life will never be the same” after their loss.

So, it is not a contradiction for grieving parents to laugh and find joys in life in their ongoing journey of grief. My observation is that an event like a BASIS picnic is a safe place to have fun and shed tears with other grieving parents because we share a common bond of the deepest of human losses, losing a child.

When I come away from a BASIS picnic or a BASIS Breakfast or a support group meeting I feel encouraged and my heart is a little better healed, and I am a little better able to “go on” in the rest of my world. I can better react to those who don’t understand.

I am also so very thankful for the blessing of having others walk with me in my journey of grief and for the privilege of walking with other grieving parents.

Once again, the picnic demonstrated to me the truth of God’s promise in II Corinthians 1:3-7 (TLB):

"What a wonderful God we have—he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does he do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us. You can be sure that the more we undergo sufferings for Christ, the more he will shower us with his comfort and encouragement. We are in deep trouble for bringing you God’s comfort and salvation. But in our trouble God has comforted us—and this, too, to help you: to show you from our personal experience how God will tenderly comfort you when you undergo these same sufferings. He will give you the strength to endure."

Help Along the Way

As a nation, we just celebrated our independence again on July 4. We are fortunate to live in a country where we have so many freedoms; but as great as our Constitution and Bill of Rights are, there are some freedoms only God can give.

The good news of the Gospel is that we can be forgiven of our sins, freed from the bondage of sin, and freed from both the penalty and the guilt of sin. That is surely more than good news. It’s great news!

However, in this life we won’t be free from sickness, accidents, heartaches, disappointments, or the death of loved ones. Believers are not immune to such pain. In the next life we will be free of such things. In the meantime, we have been given the Spirit of God to dwell with us and in us. We are not left alone in our times of pain.

Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit. He said to His disciples, “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, because, He abides with you, and He will be in you. I will not leave you orphaned…” (John 14:16-18 NRSV)

It is good to know we are not alone. It has been a blessing to me to have family and friends with me in my journey of grief in the loss of our daughter, but knowing God is with me is even more comforting and helpful.

The Psalmist captures this relationship we can have with God in troubled times when he wrote, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff—they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4 NRSV)

In your journey of grief, may you realize the blessing of God’s presence as expressed in the words of this song:

Day by day, and with each passing moment,
Strength I find to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment,
I’ve no cause for worry or for fear.
He, whose heart is kind beyond all measure,
Gives unto each day what He deems best,
Lovingly its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.

Every day the Lord Himself is near me,
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He fain would bear and cheer me,
He whose name is Counselor and Pow’r.
The protection of His child and treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He laid;
“As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,”
This the pledge to me He made.

Help me then, in every tribulation,
So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,
That I lose not faith’s sweet consolation,
Offered me within Thy holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
E’er to take, as from a father’s hand,
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
Till with Christ the Lord I stand. *

*Words: Kar­o­lina W. San­dell-Berg, 1865 (Blott en dag, ett ögon­blick i sän­der); trans­lat­ed from Swed­ish to Eng­lish by An­drew L. Skoog (1856-1934).

Celebrating the Memory of Your Child

When I was a teenager my family lived next to a cemetery. My brother and I had the job of mowing the cemetery and trimming around all the tombstones. (No “weed eaters” for us back then). Sometimes, as I mowed, I would stop and read the tombstones. I would read the names and the date the person was born and when that person died; but that was all I knew about him or her.

Sometimes, like around Mother’s Day or perhaps the birth date or death date of the deceased, I would find flowers by the tombstone. That told me that the person in the grave was being remembered by someone. Sometimes I saw the person bringing the flowers and saw him or her standing for a while at the grave.

As a teenager I thought the person by the grave was most likely thinking about the person in the grave, and I probably assumed that the deceased was a mother or father or a grandparent. However, by reading dates on the tombstones I realized that, in some cases, the deceased person was young. This meant it was someone’s child.

Now, I realize that some of those whose birth and death dates revealed that they were adults, were ALSO someone’s child. Our daughter, Crystal was thirty-six when she died. Yes, she was an adult, but she was and still is our child. The death of a child, no matter what age, seems so wrong and unnatural.

We considered the funeral for our daughter a “celebration.” We did not celebrate her death, of course. We celebrated her life. That was more than eleven years ago, but we continue to celebrate Crystal’s memory. 

Parents find different ways to celebrate the memory of their deceased child.

At our recent annual BASIS Breakfast, the speakers, Rev. Charles and Judy Gates, brought a book they had put together depicting their daughter, Heather, who died from leukemia at age 24. It was a book of pictures spanning Heather’s life. It was well done and very meaningful. I noticed that it was done several years after Heather died. Ways of celebrating the memory of someone we love don’t have to be created right after the time of death.

Celebrating the memory of our children should be an ongoing thing. Bereaved parents never want to forget their child or have their child be forgotten by others.

One of the ways my wife and I celebrate Crystal’s memory is to plant a tree each year on her birthday. We will plant the twelfth tree in a few weeks. Every time I look at one of the trees we planted and marked with a heart- shaped stone I think of our daughter. Those growing trees help us celebrate her memory. In addition to planting trees, my wife has made picture albums, we have written a book, “Until It’s All Crystal Clear,” and I have written some poems.

God remembers us and He remembers our sorrows in the loss of our children. “You have seen me tossing and turning in the night. You have collected all my tears and preserved them in your bottle. You have recorded every one in your book.” Psalm 56:8 

Surely, He also remembers and celebrates with us as we celebrate the memory of our children, knowing that, one day, we can celebrate together in heaven forever, not as a memory, but in person!

I would be interested in hearing how some of you who read this blog celebrate the memory of your child. CONTACT me to share your ideas!

A New Perspective

Six months after our daughter Crystal’s death, her husband Dave told me he had made a little progress in his grief with the coming of the New Year. He said he was able to move on some. Then he made this observation: “To move on didn’t mean I packed up my memories of Crystal and then looked back at them as I moved forward. Instead, I packed up the memories and took them with me as I began to move ahead.”

Soon after that Dave sent me the following poem.

A New Perspective - By Dave Kline

March 4, 2006

 

I never knew how short life was, the end is always near,

But I have a new perspective now, its all so very clear.

 

Each day I have, every hour I live, is so precious and so dear.

For I have a new perspective now, it’s all so very clear.

 

Robin and Jeff I watch grow big, and toward God I guide and steer.

Since I have this new perspective now, it’s all so very clear.

 

Raise them up to live their lives with all the proper gear,

For I have a new perspective now, it’s all so very clear.

 

Do my best with what I have, and with God I need not fear.

I have this new perspective now, and it’s all so very clear.

 

Spend time with my friends, my family, and kids while we’re all still here.

Since I have this new perspective now, it’s all so very clear.

 

No more worries about earthly things, for Heaven has no peer.

I have this new perspective now, it’s all so very clear.

 

And I’ll keep going, and the kids will too, never turning toward the rear.

For we have a new perspective now, it’s all so very clear.

 

Always moving toward the endless Son, tho’ the days may be dark and drear.

That’s from our new perspective now, it’s all so very clear.

 

The kids will grow, but I’ll grow too, older by the year.

With our new perspective now, it’s all so very clear.

 

I hope one day to have new little ones to guide, as grandchildren they appear.

 

I’ll show them my new perspective then, I’ll make it so very clear.

But a day will come eventually, when I’ll shed no earthly tear.

I’ll have a new perspective then, it’ll all be very clear.

 

I’ll be with Him, and see her too; we’ll all be very near,

For I’ll have the best perspective then, it’s all so Crystal clear.

Blessings to you on your journey of grief.

Grieving the Death of a Child

Two articles that caught my attention recently are listed below. My hope is that you will be helped by the insights shared here.

From the Cancer.Net Editorial Board, 12/2015

No parent is prepared for a child's death. Parents are simply not supposed to outlive their children. It is important to remember that how long your child lived does not determine the size of your loss. The loss of a child is profound at every age.

• Parents of young children are intimately involved in their daily lives. Death changes every aspect of family life, often leaving an enormous emptiness.
• The death of an older child or adolescent is difficult because children at this age are beginning to reach their potential and become independent individuals.
• When an adult child dies, you lose not only a child but often a close friend, a link to grandchildren, and an irreplaceable source of emotional and practical support.

You may find that you also grieve for the hopes and dreams you had for your child, the potential that will never be realized, and the experiences you will never share. If you lost your only child, you may also feel that you have lost your identity as a parent and perhaps the possibility of grandchildren. The pain of these losses will always be a part of you. Yet with time, most parents find a way forward and begin to experience happiness and meaning in life once again.

Margo F. Weiss, PHD wrote the following:

The loss of a child is the most devastating experience a parent can face-and missing the child never goes away. A piece of yourself is lost and your future is forever changed.

The age of the child at the time of death does not lessen the hurt or devastation. It feels completely unnatural for a child to die before his or her parents.

1. Miscarriage affects about 25% of women who become pregnant during their lifetime. The experience of pregnancy loss can be devastating to couples, yet the majority of women who miscarry become pregnant again soon after the loss. This can become emotionally and physically challenging for the couple. They are often plagued with concerns about the possibility of another miscarriage and whether they made an appropriate decision to conceive again.
2. Stillbirths, occurring in about 1% of pregnancies, can leave a feeling of disorientation, yearning and despair. Hospitals will give parents the option of spending time with the baby to say goodbye, and many parents have said that seeing their child was important for their grief process and enabled them to see the baby as a part of themselves. Another form of infant loss is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) - the most frequent cause of death in children under one year of age - that creates a profound void and sense of loss in the family.
3. Approximately 2,000 children are reported missing every day, and these kidnappings and cases of missing children cause parents almost unbearable pain. Not knowing whether a child is dead or alive results in confusion, fright and anxiety. When the bodies of kidnapped children are found, parents may express saddened relief that their children can now have a proper burial and healing can finally begin.
4. The parents of murder victims face many unique struggles in their process of bereavement. A sense of loss of control is common, and the suddenness of the death is so overwhelming that, for a period of time, parents are often incapable of processing through the grief. For this group, dealing with spiritual beliefs, attitudes toward life, and general physical health may hold special importance.
5. Each day, 46 children are diagnosed with cancer in the U.S., and 35% of those will die. Cancer remains the number one disease killer of children. The anguish and extreme pain parents experience begins with diagnosis. One part of the parents' heart hopes for a cure, while the other part begins the quiet process of impending grief

My Son's Glory Day

I’ve been referring to my son’s day of death as his “death day” for 12 years. On some level, that bothers me. It implies a negative event took place. It was not a fun day for sure, but a very difficult day from a parent’s perspective. But just yesterday, the 12th anniversary of our son’s death, I was thinking how for him it was a day full of glory. The words to a hymn came to mind:

When all my labors and trials are o’er,

And I am safe on that beautiful shore,

Just to be near the dear Lord I adore,

Will through the ages be glory for me.

Chorus:

O that will be, glory for me,

Glory for me, glory for me;

When by his grace I shall look on His face,

That will be glory, be glory for me.

 

When by the gift of his infinite grace,

I am accorded in heaven a place,

Just to be there and to look on His face

Will through the ages be glory for me.

 

Friends will be there I have loved long ago;

Joy like a river around me will flow;

Yet, just a smile from my Saviour, I know,

Will through the ages be glory for me.

[“O That Will be Glory” written by Charles H. Gabriel, 1856-1932.]

From now on, I’m going to call June 8th “my son’s Glory Day.” That’s a far better description of the day we celebrate in memory of our son. We take the day off of work and make a plan to go somewhere we both enjoy, or pick a new place to explore. Our son enjoyed trips and meeting new people. He could start a conversation with anyone and find out all about them in about 10 minutes. I can’t do that even now. I’m laid back and shy around new people. But I do like to explore new places of interest. This plan has helped us to look fondly forward to this day, instead of dreading it. Sure, we still feel that seed of sadness inside us…but the day is not so hard to endure now.

- Written by Marilyn Barto, former BASIS Ministry Secretary

Picking Up the Pieces

Some time ago my sister gave me a plaque that I have hanging here in my office. It reads: “I finally got it all together and forgot where I put it.”

When a child dies the devastation is unimaginable, meaning that no can fully imagine what it’s like for us. It is different for each of us; but we all share the reality that our lives will never be the same again.

We go on with our lives – and with our broken hearts. We take a day at a time; sometimes a moment at a time. In the early stages of our grief, we wonder if or how we can ever function. Will we ever be able to get it “all together” again?

Unfortunately, if that is our goal, it will be an elusive one, always beyond our reach. After losing our precious daughter, Crystal, we certainly have not put all the pieces back together because some pieces will always be missing.

All the king’s horses and all the king’s men could not put Humpty Dumpty together again. 

We ask ourselves if life will ever be normal again. Yes, it will be. It will be normal, but not the same normal. It will be a new normal. It will be normal to grieve the loss of our child. It will be normal for our great loss to affect our lives immensely. It is not something we will ever get over. The broken pieces of our lives can never be put back together as they were. We will not wake up one morning in this life and everything will be back the way it was; but we can get through each day, each year. Our hearts can be mended.

When broken steel is welded it is stronger than before; and so too, with our broken hearts. I am able to do ministry to bereaved parents, not because I have got it all together and put all the pieces back in place. I can do this ministry because God can take my broken heart and mend and mold it anew, with welds of love, grace and compassion that makes it stronger than I ever could.

Be encouraged, “God is in all things working for our good.” He has blessings yet for you as He continues to provide healing and comfort to your broken heart, even though it has been shattered into many pieces.

Some Helps for the Grieving

In my search to write another blog, I was looking through some files here at the BASIS office and I came across two brief items. I was helped by what I discovered. I pray that you might be helped too, in your journey, as you read and reflect on what follows.

To Those Who Hurt…

• Those things that hurt, instruct. - Ben Franklin
• We tend to see life as an idealized journey of our own making without any hills or unexpected turns.  We plan for the future and we build up unrealistic expectations of what life should be like.  Deep down, we all expect to keep our health, our loved ones, and our possessions throughout our lives.  But loss is inevitable in life. - Ron Davis
• Grieving is as natural as crying when you are hurt, sleeping when you are tired, eating when you are hungry, or sneezing when your nose itches.  - Anonymous

To Those Who Want to Be There for Us…

• Ministering to the hurting means removing your watch.
• “Being there” offers comfort.  Taking time to visit shows that you are willing to share your painful emotions.
• It isn’t for the moment you are struck that you need courage but for the long uphill climb back to sanity and faith and security.  – Anne Morrow Lindbergh
• A good listener becomes a personal intensive care unit.
• A father whose child had died was asked what was most helpful to him.  He replied simply, “My father was helpful because he cried.”
• The hurt need most – someone to listen, and in that listening – CARE!
• So often we struggle for some words of comfort when what the bereaved really need and desire is to be embraced, or simply touched; to share tears that reflect a profound sense of loss on the part of the minister as well as the one being ministered to.

Merry Christmas

What do you think of when you hear the world “merry?” I looked it up in the dictionary. Webster’s New World Dictionary gives this definition: “full of fun and laughter; lively and cheerful… festive; see HAPPY.”

When your child is not going to be with you in person this Christmas, how can you be “full of fun and laughter?” How can you be “lively and cheerful… festive?” “Happy?!” It seems impossible, I know; but hopefully you will have some fun, laughter and happiness with the people who are still with you.

Over the Christmas season, my wife, Iris, and I have often watched some of our Christmas videos of the past over the Christmas season to remember our daughter, Crystal. We have discovered that whenever we do that, it brings tears; but it also brings some laughter and fond memories. It is a way of keeping our daughter alive to us.

As we celebrate Christmas this year with other family members, we know we can have a “Merry Christmas” in the joy we share being with them, exchanging gifts as we exchange gifts and, at times, sharing memories of Crystal.

If this is the first Christmas without your child, you may not feel like being “merry;” and that’s okay. Grieving doesn’t require you to put on a “happy” face. For me, the first few Christmas days were the hardest. This will be our 12th Christmas without Crystal, and there is still sadness and heartbreak even as I write about this a few days before Christmas.

A few months after Crystal died, Iris seemed to sense God telling her to “concentrate on the living.” It didn’t me she was to forget her daughter but to also focus on the family and friends still here. Iris and I have tried to do that. We surely do miss the child who has gone from us but we are also grateful for the family still with us and we will endeavor to have a “Merry Christmas” with them.