youtu.be/bcNQGNUncd4 Stages of Grief I love the GPS feature in my iPhone! Its a great feature. What if, for 2015 you could put in a destination of OVERCOMER? You can! Heres are the step by step directions your GPS would provide: Hebrews 12:1-3 12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. Now the question is, are you good at following GPS directions? Youll want to arrive at this destination! 1. Surround yourself with friends and loved ones. Its best to avoid isolation and being alone, and instead make plans for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day well in advance so that you can ensure that you and your children will have a supportive community around them. 2. Keep your holiday plans simple. The holidays are as much for you as they are for your children. As important as it is to avoid unnecessary isolation, do not overcommit and rob yourself of opportunities to rest from the frenetic pace of every day life. 3. Honor established traditions and create new ones. Rich with tradition, Christmas offers multiple occasions to remember sweet things from the past. To this day, my daughters and I still cook poppy seed muffins to celebrate their mothers birthday. I knew of one family we attended a grief support group with, who lit a candle during the first Christmas after the loss of their son and left it lit throughout the holiday season. This reassured the children that though the family was celebrating a special time of year, they had not forgotten their brother and would continue to honor his memory. Additionally, look for opportunities to create new traditions to commemorate the joyful moments happening now. 4. Give of yourself. Grief often causes us to focus on our own circumstances; find ways to give to others—your time, company, material resources—and look for ways to encourage and bless others. Encourage your children to participate in giving of themselves, and do so together when you are able. 5. Remember, next year will be different. Time is the greatest healer of wounds, general wisdom tells us. Not every year will be as tough as the first holiday following your loss. Though it may not feel like it, hope will return and so will normality in life. Find the good in everyday and you will have found the path of hope.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 14:58:37 +0000
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