It seems that when a woman gives birth she is given flowers and hugs, lots of attention. I can remember twenty-one years ago when I first saw my child at two a.m. it was joy immeasurable.

Let's go visit 1 Samuel 1 and talk with Hannah about her plea and God's answer in the birth of her son Samuel.

Let your mind reflect on "The Book of Job" according to the first chapter. I began to let "Job" speak to my heart from Job 1: 18-21.

My mother, Delores Sims had Multiple Sclerosis, and she left us on March 7, 2000 at 5:15 pm. March 4, 2000 was the last Sunday that I would spend with her and March 7,2000 was the last day that I would ever spend with her.

Last year, I came to appreciate 1 Thessalonians 4:13. As I struggled with my final goodbyes, I thought about the promise that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

That did not take away my grief, but God's promise of the resurrection put a concrete floor under it. I thought to myself as I stood at my mother's gravesite "she will arise".

I had to seriously pray to the Lord for help with my grief and now to help me reach out to help other grieving people via of sharing resources.

Anger is a strong source of grief. You (I) may feel angry towards others.

That is natural.

I can imagine when we are ashamed and hold our anger in; it only complicates the situation and healing cannot take place in your life. I learned to be honest with my emotions so I could deal with them and work through them.

When death occurs "God" is in the same place He always was. God bears our pain, feels our hurt and he has already conquered death.

First, no matter who we are, death will usher us in to the presence of God. Second, we don't have to avoid thinking about death, because death does not have the last word.

I am planning a trip. I've been checking into airline and hotel prices. I like to have the details arranged well before I go. But there are some things I can't be sure of.

I can buy a ticket to get there, but I can't be sure that I'll be around to board my flight.

Plans, hopes, and dreams involving tomorrow, next year and even the next century are all necessary. We think we are in control even though we really aren't. We arrogantly plan for tomorrow as if it were ours to "Command".

The things of this world are so uncertain that we should never really bank on them but on God.

The wealth that God gives, whether much or little, is an opportunity to invest in our eternal future. Jesus lived more in his short lifetime of 33 years than people who live to be 100 or more.

As we see violence, blood shed, sudden tragedy we can realize that each day by the Giver, is never to be taken for granted.

At times the Christian life is a struggle. The book of Hebrews compares it to a race.

And along the way it is possible to become discouraged and to feel defeated.

In 1 Corinthians 15:26 Paul describes death as the last enemy. People who are dying need others nearby because then they know they are not abandoned. In life and in death, we need to know that we belong and are wanted.

Angela Watkins
Writer, Researcher, Speaker
http://mypages.netopia.com/saab4774