A Year Without Peggy

Well, Peggy.....
It's been one year since you died...
365 days of "first's".
First Thanksgiving without you...
First Christmas without you....
Family Birthday's that you weren't there to attend....
A year without you.
I don't know who said "Time heals all wounds", but they missed it by a country mile.
Time doesn't heal anything....
It merely becomes a measurement from the event that brought the grief and pain.
Time is an opportunity to learn to cope with the pain of loss.
Time just puts distance from the event, that's all.
So as we move through the day.....
As we take care of whatever business God may lay on plate....
We have hope.....
We have a promise from the one who does not, nor cannot lie.
That where He is, we shall be also.
You know, too be honest with you, I don't see how families deal with the death of a loved one, if they don't know my Jesus.
In such a place, there exists no hope...
Just loss.
I will not choose to dwell in such a place.

If anything, Peggy, we have been made aware of the place you held in our family.
The things that we took for granted that you always did.
I could count each year on getting a birthday card from you....
Not only me, but every one of your brothers, sister and sisters in law....nieces and nephews....all got cards. Not a big thing, but it was who you are. You loved family.

Because you and Vicki worked together for 30+ years, you were around our sons the entire time they were growing up. You are more than just an aunt to them...you were like a second mother. You were able to transfer those same feelings over to Tyler and Ashley when they were born. I am so thankful that you were around to see my sons grow into the men they are today.

I guess I could go on and on, but I will stop.
So here this morning, July 28th, I will spend the day in memories.
Memories of the day you died.....
But more than that memories of the life you lived.
We are richer because of knowing you.
Know that you are loved....
Know that you are missed....
And we will see you shortly.....
we love you.....
mbb


My Thoughts On Death:
The vacuum that death brings to a family is painful..
We are overwhelmed with grief, sorrow and sadness..
The only thing that heals those raw, exposed wounds of grief is hope....
But not the kind of hope the world offers.
What brings relief in the middle of this vacuum is knowing the One who holds life in His hands....
That the life He brings to us is not measured in days, weeks or months...
His hope stands outside of time...
His hope is greater than anything this world could ever dream up.
His hope is found in His love for us.

Jesus sees death differently than you and I do...Amid all the verses and chapters in the Bible is one verse that opens the door to how He views death.
Psalm 116:15
The LORD cares deeply when His loved (saints) ones die.
Such care and love is spilled out on our side of eternity.
Yes, I hurt for my wife who gets up every morning without her sister being here.
But the hurt I feel, and the hurt she feels is tempered by the simple fact that because of our salvation we shall see Peggy again at some point in the future.

That is a promise.
God on you...
mbb