by Sharon O | Oct 9, 2015 | Uncategorized
Today’s word prompt is something I struggle with in a lot of areas of my life.
TRUST
When you come from a home that often was broken you learn that trust is not high on your list.
It reflects a lot of areas in your life as young person and then later as a older mature person.
Trust does not come easy for me.
In marriage one has to learn to trust each other and to allow each other to grow and stretch and make decisions for the goal of your dreams together.
That is not an easy process for we were married young and I entered into the context of marriage with many years of broken words.
Learning to trust was a process only God could do deep into my heart.
Yes we had times when trust was broken and I learned ‘the message’ in my head was counterproductive to the ‘healing’ God wanted me to have in this new relationship.
We are heading into our 42nd year of marriage and trust has to be part of that process.
Many times those who were supposed to stand up for me and be my advocate failed to do that.
In marriage, we stand up for each other and we are the voice of encouragement, faith and hope when the world around us often does not share that thought.
Dictionary.com says trust is: reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety of a person. Confidence – confident expectation of something, hope.
A person of whom one relies on – God is my trust.
Obligation or responsibility imposed on a person in whom confidence is placed.
Trust… such a serious, relational word.
I would love to hear some of your thoughts on this ‘very challenging’ topic.
by Sharon O | Oct 6, 2015 | Uncategorized
Embrace:
When I think of this word I think of my own interpretation which is very simply called ‘hug’.
Embracing another with a warm receptive hug either when saying hello or saying goodbye.
Dictionary.com says: to clasp or take in the arms ((hug))
to take or receive gladly or accept willingly
to allow oneself of an opportunity; to adopt a religion or belief
to take into the mind or eye; to encircle, surround or enclose
to include or to join.
This weekend I went to see my best friend and when we arrived we were met with hugs and welcome and ‘oh it’s so nice to see you.’
Embracing our friendship and our relationship as it has grown for many long years.
When we see a new baby we ‘hold our arms out’ to embrace the precious bundle.
When we leave a loved one we often ’embrace them’ as we say good bye and tell them it was so good to visit and see them.
It is a holding close to what is precious and valuable to us.
Family, friends, those who have meaning in our lives and in our hearts.
When I think of embrace I see a ‘oneness’ and a message that says:
We value each other.
by Sharon O | Oct 3, 2015 | Uncategorized
One week ago we were sitting in a church filled with many people, remembering those we have grown to love and call our friends.
It’s hard to understand even after just a few weeks have passed.
Tara’s brother and sister talked about their sister.
It was good for them to share from their hearts and it was good for us as people listening, to hear ‘who she was as a sister’ not just the wife of David.
Her brother said ‘for her to come to a small town, and then to meet a wonderful family’ was God’s greater purpose.
He said ‘perhaps, in God’s bigger picture’, it was not an accident.
Because she had lost her own mother she would understand the pain of that kind of loss.
When she moved into a small county town to go to a ‘Christian college’ and do her psychology work with a family with young people who ‘lost their mother.’
Perhaps God was orchestrating another ‘purpose’ behind the scenes.
What a perfect place for her to settle in and learn to care for and eventually love this ‘special family.’
She would be someone who could truly say, “I understand.”
Because she did.
The love grew between herself and the family and mostly between herself and David.
It was a healthy kind of love that took it’s time.
In the service the time came for the four grown children to share about David and Tara.
Each one playing a part and a role in saying good bye to a wonderful dad and mom.
I am sure they are still filled with questions as to why it had to happen.
Why and how and what took place that evening on a country road.
The investigation still continues.
It seems to be just a tragic circumstance and I am hoping it won’t go any further.
Then yesterday in our State another ‘hard to believe’ series of shootings took place.
Ten people passed away and many were wounded by a senseless act of evil.
Those people didn’t get up and go to work and go to school thinking that ‘today is my last day to live’.
Just like Dave and Tara who were riding down a country road for a casual time outside.
They didn’t know or have any idea it would be the last ride, they would ever take together.
It is proving to me more and more as I get older, that we cannot let a day go by without telling our loved ones how we care for them, how important they are and what purpose they have in our lives.
We must not waste a moment.
Many people will begin this fall season with loss.
They will have the holidays to look towards, with memories of loved ones in their heart and mind.
Tears will come and so will anger, sadness with sit with them as they struggle to remember.
Sorrow is for a lifetime. Yes it softens. The intensity shifts to memories instead of intense tears.
There are many things in this life we will never understand, but if we believe in a God who has a higher purpose, then we can hold onto and cling to the hope that only He gives us.
That should we die early and should we leave way before we wish to, there is a place of comfort and a place of peace for us to reside in forever in a new heavenly home.
Loss is hard. No matter if it is a car wreck, shooting or physical ailment.
I think the lesson for all of us, is to choose, how we will live and how we will love.
And I will even add, how we will learn to say good bye.
Because someday we will have to even when we have no answers.
by Sharon O | Sep 29, 2015 | Uncategorized
The Service was very moving.
Incredibly sad, I have never been to a service for two people at the same time.
Lot’s of beautiful flower bouquets. Lots of pictures.
The children who are now grown did the service. Each of them taking turns sharing something special about their parents.
The slide show was a wonderful example of ‘who’ they were as a couple and as individual professional counselors.
They loved each other. They loved their family.
They were full of energy and life until it was cut short one evening.
The service showed how they were as grand parents and as parents.
It showed how they loved.
I still cannot believe they are gone.
David and Tara
We will always miss you
It was too soon to have you leave.
You are together and you truly loved.
