~My Husband Rocks!~ Friday

My wonderful husband rocks because even though yesterday was his birthday, he put his own feelings and wants aside and was there for me. A phenomenal lady who was my friend and colleague died this week, and yesterday was her funeral. Such a beautiful ceremony! Chris took half of the day off to go with me. I can't tell you what it meant to me to have him sitting there next to me and to feel that strong arm around my shoulders. What a comfort! I honestly don't know how I would have handled it without him.

To add to that, he also had to work really late last night and didn't get home until both Willow Grace and I were in bed. Not much of a birthday. At least there were presents, 3 cards (I just couldn't choose!), and a nice breakfast yesterday morning since neither of us went to work before the funeral. Still, I will find a way to make it all up to him. He deserves a crazy-good birthday for how good he's been to me.

Oh, he also rocks because he's so cute, and I love how we match with our blue and black in this picture!

Must Be a Cruel Joke

This is what I just keep thinking. “I just can’t believe it. It must be a cruel joke.” For the last 24 hours, I’ve been trying to wrap my mind around the fact that my co-worker, my friend, died on Saturday. She was on her way to Chattanooga to help her daughter plan her December wedding, and she pulled off at a rest stop because of a headache and ended up having an aneurism. She was found unconscious, life-flighted to Nashville, had an operation, and died. Those are the facts. While I can rattle them off; somehow those words have very little meaning for me.

I found out last night as I was cleaning our house for community group, and I just couldn’t deal with it. My mind keeps rejecting the idea. She is such a vibrant, colorful woman; and the world has just gotten a little bit darker. We won’t have school on Thursday so that we can all go to the service. Maybe by then this will all become a little more real for me.

Tragic

I find myself in a state of mixed sadness, anger, and confusion this morning. We have lost another person to suicide; my friend’s best friend took his life. I’m sure you can imagine the pain she is now experiencing. There was no warning, no reason given for this. I have about a thousand thoughts and feelings whipping around in my brain. I’m not going to go into all of that right now.

This is what I want you to know, what we all need to be reminded of:

You are loved. You are needed. Your life has purpose. Your life matters. We need you here. No matter what you are going through, no matter what you have done or what has been done to you, God has everything you need to cope with and overcome it, whether it’s strength, love, courage, comfort, understanding, forgiveness, patience, or whatever. Don’t suffer alone. Don’t try to fight alone. He put us here on this earth so that we could stand together. He gave us His Son and the Holy Spirit. We are not alone.

Please pray for me as I minister to my friend.