The Tender Scar- Journeying Through Grief

[kreed70]

ISAIAH 53:3-5

“THE TENDER SCAR”

“The stages of grief don’t always come in the oft-quoted order: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. (A person may experience) them all repeatedly, and often in different combinations…(A)ll of that is normal…(Grief) lasts as long as it lasts. Healing comes with time, leaving a tender scar.”

“Grief is a journey, not a destination. You can’t reach it like a stop on a railroad, then leave it behind. Likewise, it’s not a dead end, bringing (one’s) life permanently to a halt…life has changed, but (the) trip continues…Grief is a journey that, while intensely difficult, isn’t without hope or the promise of enjoying life again.”

“Trust that things will get better, and rejoice when they do. Treasure the memories, but determine to move forward. And choose to lean on God’s loving promise: ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’ (Jeremiah 29:11).”

Heavenly Father, we know that You are sovereign over all of life and death, but sometimes it’s hard for us to let go of loved ones, or beloved dreams. Help us to trust Your plan and Your timing, knowing that there is a time to live and a time to die, a time to mourn and a time to rejoice. Thank You for bearing our burdens, that we may be healed from our wounds and remember without hopeless pain. Lord, use my life and my scars to comfort others with the comfort I have received from You. In Jesus name, amen.

Title and article quoted from the article “The Tender Scar- Journeying Through Grief” by Richard L. Mabry from “In Touch” magazine, October 2006. See www.intouch.org for further information.

[Linda661]

“Trust that things will get better, and rejoice when they do. Treasure the memories, but determine to move forward. And choose to lean on God’s loving promise: ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’ (Jeremiah 29:11).” [end of quote]

Thanks for this today -- I couldn't say it any better of just what I am hanging on to!

I find myself not participating much in here these days because of the awkward time I find myself in and your post sums it up really well; I sort of need to let my time with LC be my past and not my present at the moment. The LC experience literally consumed me -- now I need to heal, not just from LC but from the loss of my dad too (that happened not long before mom's dx). There are some physical repercussions I'm dealing with now from it all too.

I'm in the process of going through everything around here and throwing lots of stuff away.....finding personal counseling homework notes from my dad of just how unhappy he was didn't help last week either. It's rather hard to accomplish much at the moment, but I am doing it with exactly the knowing of what I quoted from your post means and that is pure gold to me right now.

Linda