Month: December 2021

What a Difference a Year Makes

Leave a Comment

Last year I was at my parents’ home with the family celebrating Mom’s birthday. Here are a few pictures from that day.

We celebrated Mom well with her favorite people surrounding her with laughter and fun and quality time. At her request, her birthday cake was ice cream cake. It was a great day.

Fast forward one year to today. Mom isn’t here to celebrate with us. I feel less like celebrating today and instead decided to remember her by doing some of her favorite things. I began by reading in bed and didn’t change out of my pajamas (including the shirt Mom was wearing in these pictures) until after noon. I enjoyed a delicious bacon cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato. I spent a long time browsing through the bookstore and then bought books even though my bookshelves are full of good books to read. I took a walk at the park to get some fresh air (that one was for me more so then something I did with Mom). And we ended the night the same way we ended last year with ice cream cake.

I am back home in comfy pants wearing my “Just One More Chapter” shirt topped by my breast cancer sweatshirt. I am planning to read past my bedtime tonight to continue to honor my Mom. She is missed so much by her immediate family, her extended family, and her many friends.

I share my story as a reminder that many people are grieving this holiday season. So many are observing their first holiday (or 2nd or 10th) without a loved one. The holidays are a time of traditions. What happens when someone is no longer there to help with a tradition? How do we reimagine traditions? How do we give ourselves time and space to grieve the changes necessitated by the death of someone we love? I offer my story of today as one way to honor and remember a loved one who has died. It is one example of how to make a hard day a little easier. As you are navigating your own grief or helping someone who is grieving, be kind to yourself and each other.

Holiday Greetings

1 Comment

Finding the right words to say is important to me. I spend much energy considering how you will receive the words I offer and how they will impact you. Our words matter. This is true is everyday. This is true at the holidays.

I don’t know everything you are going through. I can’t. Just like you can’t know everything that is running though my head and heart. So how do we share holiday greetings when we don’t know how our greetings will be received? We do the best we can with what we know.

I can’t give you all the answers on how to share greetings with others in the holiday season, and I don’t know how you will be feeling when you read these words. I leave you with this blessing that I hope will be meaningful to you today.

Christmas is here with the mix of emotions it brings. God is with us today whether we are sad, mad, glad, lonely, thankful, or whatever emotion we name to describe us today. And because God is with us your feelings are valid and valued. You can laugh and cry today. You can sing the songs of Christmas off key or turn off the music. You can observe this day in whatever way works for you this year. God is with us. God loves us. Amen.

An Advent Prayer

2 Comments

I love the season of Advent. I love the preparations and anticipation. I love the slow walk toward what we know is coming. My hope for you this Advent season is that you may take opportunities to pause from the busyness of life to explore Advent.

Patient God, Advent is here. This season of waiting and preparing and expectation. Too often, we zoom ahead to what is next. Stop us right here, Loving God. Give us time to pause and be present. Remind us that this season is time for hope, peace, joy, and love. This world, your world O God, needs all of this today. So help us to look for hope, peace, joy, and love, and share what we see with others. When able, help us to be the hope others need. Send us your peaceful presence that we may be peacemakers. Light us up with joy, so we may spread joy in our communities. And fill us with your unconditional love, so we may let everyone know they are loved as well. Fill us up this Advent, so we may share the goodness of God with everyone this season. In the name of the one whose arrival we await, we pray. Amen.