Not-Forgotten Birthday

 Birthdays have a purpose of not only causing us to remember someone on their special day while they are alive, but they provide us a way to enjoy sweet memories of lost loved ones for many years beyond.

I'm reminded of my husband Dean on December 4th, his birthday, which sometimes got overlooked when he was a boy, due to its closeness to Christmas.

There's been five long years now without him to celebrate his special day. The sharp grief in the beginning has been gradually replaced with a bundle of sweet remembrances that do not surface nearly as often as I'd like.

So, when times such as birthdays do come around, days that remind us of that person we hold dear, they are warmly welcomed and appreciated.

Thank you, December 4th, for giving me another nudge to express my thankfulness for having someone special in my life. No one could replace you, Dean Thompson. You will always hold a special place in our hearts. Just as December 4th will always be a special date on our calendar.

Some Days Are Worth Remembering

 Although you might think some days are so horrific they are worth forgetting, you might reconsider when you discover how they changed you...ultimately for the better.

I was thinking in the back of my mind that September 1st had some special meaning, when my daughter reminded me that indeed it did. We both shared merely the fact that it was the day, 23 years ago, that Dean, her father, my husband, had a tractor run over him.

Our hurried trip to the hospital, over a hundred miles away, had us both rattled with anxiety and dread upon what we would find there. He had suffered numerous life-threatening body traumas and was in a coma, which lasted for days.

His hospital recovery would last for months, and his brain injury symptoms would continue for years, all the way to his passing in 2018. How each of us survived the event on Sept. 1, 1999, is beyond miraculous. It definitely led to character development and spiritual growth for the whole family.

We are told to be thankful for everything. So, as we draw near to the Thanksgiving season, let's remember that our greatest trials can also be our greatest blessings.

My Anniversary Corner

I couldn't let June 6th pass without remembering my dear husband who passed away four years ago. June 6th was our anniversary. In a way these last four years seem like a lifetime ago, especially with the way covid has compounded my "alone time".

It's been hard dealing with all life's stresses without the one who taught me how to deal with them. And that would be Dean. The way he taught me works for an eternity though, so I guess I'm set.

With God, I can wait. I can wait to see Dean again in eternity. Together, we will praise the One who has given all the hope we need to survive. I pray that same hope for the loved ones, I, too. will leave behind someday. He told me once that all our trials will seem like just a hiccough when we reach that heavenly home. Now, that's what I call survival!

(my little memorial corner of Dean, 

with some of his faith and love messages that keep me going)

Shared Grief

February 2, 2022 sounds like a day to remember, but for many people, the memories are not pleasant. February 2nd, the day my husband passed away four years ago, will always be an emotional time for our family.

As we plod on through this pandemic, I've been hard pressed to write something of encouragement though. Not only to feel uplifted myself, but for the rest of the family, and all the families who have lost loved ones, no matter when or how.

I've found that the greatest comfort for our grief is found in the Bible. Paul expressed it so well in 1 Thessalonians 4, when he talks about the Coming of Christ in such glowing terms. He even tells us in the last verse to "comfort each other with these words."

A day of reunion is coming, folks. We must wait patiently for it. The signs are all around us. It's coming soon. That is truly the most comforting thought I can have and leave with my loved ones on this sad anniversary of losing our loved one. Dean was ready for a good, long rest. How glorious it will be to see all our loved ones though on that grand Resurrection Morning!