Love the Lord your God, listen to His voice and hold fast to Him, for the Lord is your life! Deut. 30:20


Sunday, March 27, 2011

One year

Can it really be that one year ago today my brother, Doug passed away?


My brothers, Dave and Doug in their "yukatas" (a cotton kimono)





This past week I purchased this book, Tender Grace by Jackina Stark. I don't purchase books often as our church library has so many good books to choose from. But I was at Faith and Life Bookstore and happened on a sale. I got this book with full intentions to donate it to our church library once I finished it. But it has been a book I have not been able to put down and I am going to keep this one for my own library. Here is a little description of the book:

Audrey Eaton awakes at three in the morning and gets up to retrieve her husband, Tom, from the recliner where he has fallen asleep watching a ball game. But when she enters the living room and looks at his gentle face in the soft lamp light, she knows their time together is over. Grief attacks her until all she can think about is how much she wants her old life back. Determined to find healing, she embarks on a journey to the one place Tom and she always intended to visit but never did. Along the way, she discovers, through shared experiences with friends old and new, the meaning of the "tender graces" God provides each and every day.

On her trip she examines the book of John. "In chapter 16, Jesus speaks of going away and the Holy Spirit coming to us. Intellectually, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is a difficult concept to get hold of. Experientially, it is simpler. He is like an ever-present Jesus: comforting and confronting, guiding and equipping, enabling and enlightening. His presence is the greatest of gifts."

In the hard times, how precious for this ever-present, ever-caring Father!

4 comments:

Unknown said...

I will have to get this book, I love the one you sent to me, I read five chapters so far, and feel it was a really good pick. Thank you, and my prayers go out to you all on this day. Love you all. Nikki

Momma H said...

Sounds like a good book.
Will be praying for comfort this day for you.

Susy M. said...

He is rejoicing in a place where he will live forever and you will be joined with him once again. That is the promise that we are given.

Rich and Carolyn Dewey said...

How quickly time flies, but the hurt of a loved one gone from us never leaves. It's always there in the back of the mind. Saying a prayer for you today!