Today would have been mom's 57th birthday. So, I'm bummed.
I don't anticipate doing this every year. It's all just fresh right now.
Yesterday, we were in church for the first time. Pastor invited me to share and I did. I was glad to do it. It was painful and much more difficult than I anticipated, but it was cathartic nonetheless. The family at church was incredibly loving, generous, and thoughtful. I cannot imagine not having such a loving congregation to walk through this with us.
The only way I really know how to honor my mom is to try to do something positive. Today, I started FRIENDmail, a weekly encouraging email as part of what I'm calling the Friends Encouragement Network. It's just a brief email message that will hopefully lead people to share with their friends to encourage one another.
Not in a send-this-to-ten-people-in-30-minutes-so-everyone-knows-you-love-Jesus-and-to-help-an-angel-get-its-wings" sort-of way. I do that on Fridays with my "Big Mac Magical Chain Email" service.
You can sign up as part of the Friends Encouragement Network here:
| Join the Friends Encouragement Network |
note: you'll have several emails to choose from....you're welcome to try them all on for size, but the F.E.N. is at the bottom.
August 7, 2006 4:51 PMMy father passed away four years ago tomorrow, just a few days before his 83rd birthday. His funeral service was held on his birthday.
I wrote a post on my blog yesterday about the times that I see things I'd like to share with dad before realising again that he's gone.
Your grief is obviously a lot fresher at this point but I'm sure that you'll have those moments somewhere further down the track.
Posted by: Rodney Olsen at August 7, 2006 7:10 PMJust wanted you to know that you guys are in my prayers and thoughts still. I've lost four grandparents in the last three years (including one who was my "mom" for several years while my mom was divorced and working three jobs), and the pain hurts like the proverbial dickens. I still get emotional on my MeMe's birthday and at Christmas.
Take care,
Sean
Posted by: Sean at August 8, 2006 9:29 AMBryan,
Something that I did for my mom's birthday, Christmas, and Mother's Day.
I took the money that I would have used to buy my mom a gift, and I bought a gift for someone else who was equally as touched by her death as I was. For Mother's Day, I sent flowers to my Grandma instead. (also for Mom's BDay)
This way, someone else who is hurting to knows that they are not alone in their memories that day, and somehow, it makes me feel a little better, like the whole day wasn't entirely in vain.
Hope you guys are okay.
Take care.
Shannon and Wade Wright